292 



and being read}- for the slide witbiu two minutes. In fact, very delicate 

 wings can scarcely be taken out quick enough, and need very little acid. 

 The advantage is the rapidity of work and the certainty of retaining 

 the wings entire, the chloride of lime sometimes destroying the mem- 

 brane in part before the bleaching is complete. The disadvantage is the 

 vile smell of the chlorine gas when liberated by the combination of the 

 two liquids. For quick work this must be endured, and the beauty and 

 completeness of the result are also advantages to counterbalance the 

 discomfort to the senses. — J. B. S. 



WINTER APPEARANCE OF THE CECROPIA MOTH. 



Mr. Warren H. Manning, of Reading, Mass., informs us that Mr. Clark, 

 of the Boston Park Commission, found two specimens of Attacus cecropia 

 January 12, 1889, in the street in Boston, apparently numbed by the 

 chilly air. This was one of the results of the long period of mild, spring- 

 like weather in the latter part of December and the first of January, 

 and aftbrds an indication of the probable issuing at that time of many 

 other insects, thus proving what we have so often stated, that the se- 

 vere winter is more favorable to the successful hibernation of insects 

 than a mild, open winter. 



IS MARRIAGE A FAILURE? 



Our esteemed correspondent, Mr. K. Allan Wight, of Auckland, New 

 Zealand, to whom we have already referred in these pages, contributes 

 the following to the literature of this important question of the day: 



It does seem as if Mr. Green's discovery, that his Ceylou parasite of the spider at- 

 tacks the female only, may have something to do with her propensity to destroy the 

 male as soon as he has fecundated — b.y the bye, is not that a method of preventing 

 "marriage being a failure" and still avoiding the objectionable divorce ? I have 

 been watching two house-spiders in my bed-room (which I would not allow to be re- 

 moved). The female for more than a month not only allowed her companion to live,, 

 but certainly manifested plain signs of affection. They were never more than an inch 

 apart, and one was sure to come up to the other if it moved away, placing the feet 

 and legs over it (may I say the hands and arms f). If disturbed, they ran into their 

 back parlor and hid, close-touching, but it did not last long. Whether flies were 

 scarce or not, I can not say, but she killed him and sucked his juice in the end. But 

 the most singular thiug is that ever after that she does not seem very alert, and 

 remains always close to the body, and now (after about six weeks) she is dead, hang- 

 ing close to it, and the broom has been allowed to close the record. 



INSECTS UPON THE COFFEE AND TEA PLANTS IN CEYLON. 



Our valued correspondent, Mr. E. Ernest Green, of Eton, Puuduloya, 

 Ceylon, sends the following interesting notes upon insects att'ecting 

 Coflee, supplementary to those mentioned by Mr. J. Neituer some years 

 ago: 



Allow me to thank you for your very interesting periodical, Insect Life, in the in- 

 terests of entomologists and agriculturists. I hope your example will lead the way 

 for many other similar publications. ^ 



