INTRODUCTION. 7 



loosely with 2 or 3 pieces of the same kind of paper, taking care that 

 the paper touches the glass all round. The hydrocyanic acid from 

 the laurel renders the insects motionless immediately, the paper 

 absorbs any excess of moisture and remains damp, and the insects lie 

 unhurt among its folds, but they should be set out within a day or 

 two. The insects, being for the most part of delicate and fragile 

 structure, should never be touched by the fingers; the greater 

 number will pass readily through the quill when it is placed above 

 them, or the cork may be withdrawn and the mouth of the phial 

 placed over those of large size. The advantage of not touching with 

 the hand will also be found in the case of those species that give out 

 a disagreeable odour ; this odour, we may remark by the way, disap- 

 pears after death. 



In the autumn, winter, and spring Hemiptera may be found about 

 the roots of plants, in tufts of grass, and in moss, among dead leaves 

 and the debris of hay ricks and corn-stacks, and in field rubbish. 

 These may be brought home in the collecting-bottle among paper 

 without laurel ; and may be killed like Coleoptera by being plunged 

 into hot (not boiling) water. 



PEESEEVING. 



The best method of preserving Hemiptera is to fix them on stout 

 card by means of gum tragacanth reduced to the consistence of paste 

 by means either of dilute acetic acid, or of water in which a little 

 oxalic acid or corrosive sublimate has been dissolved. Turn the 

 insects out of the phial onto a piece of white blotting paper, sort them 

 into species, lay the specimens on their backs, if requisite put out 

 their legs and antennas with a camel's hair brush, and then turn them 

 over. Cut the card into strips wider than the length of the insects, 

 pin one strip to a piece of thin cork and cover rather thickly with 

 the gum as much space as will suffice for one insect, lift the specimen 

 by means of a wetted brush on to the gummed card, and place its 

 legs and antennae quickly into their natural position, taking care not 



