COLLECTING AND PRESERVING COCCID^. 47 



numerous bright heads will appear more conspicuous 

 than the insects. In all cases the food-plant only should 

 be pinned ; and it is often necessary to use small braces 

 of thick black paper to hold leaves in position. The 

 labels will afford ample space for full data, etc. For 

 all species having white ovisacs or puparia black paper 

 should be used, and for dark species white paper. 

 Dull black " surface paper " and stout unglazed note- 

 paper are the best, and if the instructions given in 

 gumming be carried out the paper will not buckle. On 

 the other hand, if the whole surface of the cork slip be 

 gummed, the paper will buckle immediately, and 

 present an untidy appearance. When it is necessary 

 to show a larger series of any species than the limited 

 space on a single slip will contain, a second slip will be 

 required. This, however, need not be labelled, so that 

 the whole of the slip may be utilised ; care, however, 

 should be taken to have the reference number attached. 



Having completed the mounting of the specimens, 

 all that is necessary is to fix them in their natural 

 order in the cabinet drawers, which can be readily 

 done with a pin at either end of the slip. 



For my own part I prefer the slips mounted in 

 rectangular glass-topped boxes, as they present a much 

 neater appearance, and, what is more important, they 

 can be easily removed from the cabinet and examined 

 with a pocket lens without the least fear of damage to 

 the specimens. The advantages claimed for such an 

 arrangement are therefore obvious. The sizes of the 

 rectangular glass-topped boxes are 3^ inches by 2| 

 inches, and 5 inches by 3^ inches. 



In order to bring the specimens as near the glass as 

 possible a strip of cork should be glued to the ends of 

 the boxes on the inside ; on these the slips, which can 

 be firmly attached with a pin at one or both ends, will 

 rest. By this arrangement the specimens are brought 

 nearer to the glass, and can be easily examined with a 

 lens without the removal of the lid. Duplicates may 

 be conveniently stored in shallow boxes or envelopes. 



