428 



hard, tapering, and nearly hairless, a very few scattering but rather 

 long hairs occurring near the tip, so that apparently it would not be 

 impossible for it to be used as a inercing organ. Experiments witli a 

 living specimen indicate, however, that the general conclusions ad- 

 vanced hold also with this insect. The setae are thrust a quarter of an 

 incli or more against or into any object presented, but no effort whatever 

 is made to puncture with the beak. — C. L. M. 



BIRDS AND BARK-LICE. 



As a general thing birds have not been considered to possess any 

 economic importance as destroyers of bark-lice. There is a South 

 African bird, called the white eye {Zosterops capensis), which has been 

 frequently recorded as preying upon the large Lecaniinte, but we are 

 not familiar with instances of similar work on the part of North Ameri- 

 can birds. Mr. K. Newstead, in the April, 1895, number of the Ento- 

 mologist's Monthly Magazine, publishes some facts of this kind. In 

 nine stomachs of the blue tit and long tailed tit he found numerous 

 specimens of Aspidiotus zonatus and Asterodiaspis quercicola and a few 

 of MytUaspis pomorum. He has also seen, with the aid of field-glasses, 

 the tree-creeper {CerthiafamiUaris) collecting Mytilaspis pomorum dur- 

 ing winter and spring. 



STAINING THE WINGS OF INSECTS. 



In No. 4 of Volume I of the Biological Eeview of Ontario, Dr. H. W. 

 Hill gives the following method, devised at the request of Dr. Brodie, 

 of staining the veins in the wings of certain insects: 



Place the whole insect in a strong alcoholic solution of fnchsiu and allow it to 

 remain there for forty-eight hours. Then transfer the insect to water with a pair 

 of fine forceps and wash it until no more color comes away, changing the water if 

 necessary. AVhile the washed insect floats in clear water sliji a microscope slide 

 under it, raise the slide, holding the insect on it with a fine needle, separate the 

 wings from the body with a fine scalpel and remove the body. With a drop or two 

 of clear water on the slide float the wings into any desired position, keeping them 

 flat and unwrinkled, taking care to have no bubbles under them. Eemove any 

 excess of water with blotting paper and allow the wings to dry. Then place a drop 

 of thick Canada balsam near them and heat the slide over a spirit or gas flame. 

 Tilt the slide so that the now liquefied balsam flows over the wings; lower a cover- 

 glass gently into y)osition, and allow the preparation to cool. On examination the 

 veins will be found red, the depth of the coloring varying with the length of time 

 of staining, the thickness of the veins, etc. The color is well retained, so far as has 

 been tried, and successful photographs have been made. 



NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



A new Grain-moth Parasite. — Mr. John G. Jack, of Jamaica Plain, Mass., sends 

 us aseriesof liracon (Hahrobracon) honestor Say, which he has reared in considerable 

 numbers from the common little Indian-meal moth, Flodia inierpuncteUa. 



Florida Orange Scales in Ceylon. — Mr. Albert Koebele, writing from Kaudy, 

 Ceylon, January 5, 1895, informs us that he has found there orauge trees badly 



