156 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
should there happen to be (which is often the case).a hard 
place in the cork the pin doubles up, and thus many a. 
valuable insect has been destroyed. When mites are detected, 
the spot where the little dust that betokens their presence is 
collected underneath the specimens should be well saturated 
with pheenic acid, or an alcoholic solution of carbolic acid, 
which will do as well and is cheaper; the body of the insect 
also, except in the case of green insects, when benzine should 
be employed. Grease, though troublesome, is by no means 
impossible to get rid of. In this case exception is to be taken 
to the established rule that “ Prevention is better than cure.” 
It is far better to let the specimens get greasy than try to 
prevent it, as with the most skilful manipulation stuffed 
bodies cannot but look unsightly. When they have become 
greasy the bodies must be broken off, and soaked for a time 
—varying according to size—in benzine. My friend Mr. 
Corbin showed me in his cabinet such large bodies as those 
of Acherontia Atropos treated in this way, every trace of 
grease being removed. He gave it as his experience that 
Atropos is very liable to grease: this varies with my own; I 
have never had a greasy specimen. It is well, unless abso- 
lutely necessary, not to saturate the wings with any prepara- 
tion, as it frequently results in the disarrangement or matting 
together of the cilia, which cannot afterwards be put right. 
Dr. Lees tells me that he considers grease rather as a 
preservative than otherwise. To quote his words:—‘“I do 
not regard it as a putrefactive change, but in its nature rather 
the opposite (though it spoils the look of specimens), and 
more analogous to a peculiar fatty production which takes 
place in dead human and other bodies, after they have been 
interred some time. The whole body often becomes changed 
into this peculiar solid, greasy matter, which is very 
imperishable.”—Joseph Anderson, jun. ; Chichester, Sussex. 
Grease and Mites.—1 see several correspondents enquire 
about grease and mites. [Lam now pursuing a course with 
my collection which I believe to be a perfect preventative of 
both, and intend to replace all my common moths this 
season. My plan is this:—When the insect is killed I clip 
the body open (underneath), and take out the inside; I then 
fill the skin with plaster of Paris, and place it on the setting- 
board. When it is fit to remove | take it off the board, and, 
