the British Neuroptera-Planipennia. 147 



A few words of advice on the method of preparing 

 these insects for collections may not be out of place. 1 

 strongly urge that all should be pinned, and placed so 

 high on the pin that no part of the specimen touches the 

 surface of the receptacle in which it is contained ; the 

 plan of mounting them on card, now often adopted, is 

 not advisable, especially as by so doing it is almost 

 impossible to examine the abdominal parts, which become 

 filled in with the gum used in mounting, and the neura- 

 tion can always be better investigated when the wings 

 can be held free against the light. 



In conclusion, it is necessary to explain the present 

 position of my contemplated project of monographing all 

 the groups of British Neuropterous insects. With this 

 work the Trichoptera and true Neuroptera are finished, 

 excepting in so far as supplementary information may 

 be supplied. Among the Pseudo-Neuroptera, the Psocidm 

 have already received attention. The Odonata will 

 scarcely require more than cataloguing, as a monograph 

 of these could not be other than an extracted copy from 

 De Selys Longchamps' and Hagen^s exhaustive works 

 on the subject. The Perlidce I hope to place on the 

 same footing as the groups now finished. The Ephemeridw 

 will probably be worked out by a gentleman (Mr. A. E. 

 Eaton) who has bestowed upon them far more care than 

 I have yet been able to do, and I leave that most difiicult 

 family in his hands. 



Explanation of the Abbreviations in the Bibliographical 

 References. 



Those works which are marked with an asterisk, I have not been 

 able to consult, and the references to them are given on the authority of 

 Dr. Hagen's " Synopsis Synonymica." 



Brauer, Haid. Abh Brauer (F.), in Haidinger's Naturw. Ab- 



handlungen, vol. iv. ; Wien, 1850. 

 Brauer, Neurop. Aust ■ — , "Neuroptera Austriaca " ; Wien, 



1857. 

 Brauer, Verh. z.-b. Verein . . . . -, in the Verhandlungen des zoolo- 



gisch-botanischen Vereins in Wien, 



1856. 

 Burm. Handb Burmeister (H. C. C), " Handbuch der 



Entomologie," vol. ii. part 2; Berlin, 



1839. 



L 2 



