IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. I33 



with some whitening anteriorly of the antehumeral bhie hne. 

 Specimens placed in acetone are hardened and do not soften 

 and break up as in benzine. Specimens previously hardened 

 in alcohol do not soften in benzine. Specimens were placed 

 four hours in acetone, eight hours in benzine, and papered. 

 There was no shrinking or breaking, and color preservation was 

 good with the exception of some whitening of the postocular 

 spots and the blue of the thorax. This last method I am 

 especially anxious to see tried with some of the larger species 

 mentioned above. Discoloration of specimens which are 

 allowed to dry without any treatment seems to be due to putre- 

 faction in the course of drying, and later the possible spread of 

 oily matter from the ovaries or alimentary tract. Acetone is 

 miscible in both water and benzine. Specimens taken from the 

 cyanide bottle and placed in it sink at once. A few hours 

 should suffice to replace all the watery fluids of the insects by 

 acetone. Transferred to benzine, the acetone is replaced by 

 benzine, and the fats are dissolved. Taken from benzine the 

 specimens dry almost at once ; and the water and fats are thus 

 removed within a few hours. All the specimens treated with 

 alcohol, benzine and acetone, and then papered, were subse- 

 quently relaxed in the ordinary way. Hardening by the 

 chemicals did not interfere with pinning and spreading the 

 specimens of this small species for the cabinet. 



Notes on Cychrus, with the Description of a 

 New Species. 



By J. L. Webb, Pullman, Washington. 



Gychrns idahoensis n. sp. — Black, with indistinct bronze lustre ; form 

 elongate, rather convex , head moderately elongate, smooth, shining ; 

 gense incised ; thorax cordate, slightly wider than long, sides arcuate, 

 oblique posteriorly, with little or no sinuation ; pronotum feebly convex, 

 hind angles slightly obtuse ; median longitudinal line with the two ante- 

 rior lines running cephalo-laterad from it, sharply defined ; basal impres- 

 sion moderate ; lateral longitudinal impressions well defined at base, very 

 faint or obsolete at middle ; elytra oval, convex, more attenuate behmd 

 than in front, the margins narrowly reflexed, with no trace of green or 

 gold coloring ; surface 1 1 striate, striae more or less interrupted by the 



