116 ON BREEDING ACULEATES, ETC. 



air and sunshine, may die without cleaning 

 themselves properly. 



If it is desired to preserve the specimens, they 

 should be killed either with cyanide of potassium, 

 ether, or chloroform. If the first of these agents 

 is used, a piece of about the size of a small 

 hazel nut should be put at the bottom of a bottle 

 (for collecting purposes, an ordinary " Coleoptera 

 bottle ", which can be obtained from any natural- 

 ist's shop, is the most convenient) and should be 

 kept down by a wad of blotting paper, well 

 pressed down upon it ; this prevents the cyanide, 

 as it liquifies, from wetting the hairs, etc., of 

 the insects. Over this a piece of white paper 

 should be placed ; this will get stained at once 

 when there is much damp, and should then be 

 changed. The objections to cyanide are its 

 very poisonous nature, and the stiffness which 

 is caused by its use to the specimens killed by 

 it, and also its tendency to turn yellow colours 

 red. I always use it myself as I think it is 

 preferable to the other insecticides, notwith- 

 standing its demerits, but then I do not extend 

 the legs and wings of my specimens, but simply 

 leave themjn whatever position they happen to 



