COLLECTING AND PRESERVING COCCID^E. 45 



collection prepared for microscopical study. The 

 student will require both. 



On looking over the entomological collections in our 

 museums, I have been particularly struck with the 

 almost entire absence of any species of Coccidse. Here 

 and there one sees odd specimens of Coccus cacti, the 

 cochineal of commerce ; and more rarely Tachardia 

 (Carter la) lacca, the species which furnishes us with 

 the all-important " lac " of commerce. Both are 

 excellent examples in their way, but why not exhibit 

 the British species ? Anyone desirous of obtaining 

 specimens could not do better than make his wants 

 known to the gardeners of his particular district ; for 

 such men know to their cost what " scale insects " and 

 " mealy bugs " are, and will gladly supply specimens 

 when they find some interest is taken in the matter. 

 Such, at any rate, has been my experience. Entomolo- 

 gists, too, when searching for galls or Coleoptera, etc., 

 often make good finds, and many interesting species 

 may be obtained through them. In short, express a 

 desire for specimens, and all the commoner species will 

 come to hand. 



In all cases, or as far as practicable, the insects should 

 remain in situ on the food-plant, whether bark, leaf, 

 twig, or root. All superfluous parts, however, should 

 be cut away, and only such portion or portions re- 

 tained as may be needful. This if possible should be 

 done while the food-plant is fresh, and the leaves will 

 need to be fastened down with small card braces to 

 prevent them curling up. The insects often cover the 

 small branches of trees, and when such is the case they 

 may be removed with the bark, or the branch may be 

 divided longitudinally with a saw or split with a knife. 

 The ends of all the pieces of hard wood will need to be 

 pierced with a sharp penknife or very fine bradawl, so 

 that they may be easily pinned in the cabinet. Set 

 them aside to dry, away from the dust, and in a few 

 days they will be ready for the cabinet. The simplest 

 plan of finally mounting the specimens in the cabinet 



