52 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '06 



the funnel should be about a half metre, and the tray itself 

 should be movable in order that it may be refilled with the 

 material when separated from the funnel. 



I have used to great advantage a small apparatus of this 

 style (the funnel being only 30 centimetres in diameter) dur- 

 ing the last year, and have thus discovered several new species 

 of Italian Acarida, illustrated in this journal, while I have 

 collected an enormous quantity of other small arthropods, 

 especially of Collembola, Symphyla, Pauropoda, etc. (Fig. 1). 



These, especially the Collembola, and also the Thysanura 

 all remain on the surface of the alcohol, not becoming sub- 

 merged, while the other insects all fall to the bottom of the 

 tube. 



Thus, it is easy to collect the said Collembola with a brush, 

 from the surface of the alcohol without further disturbance. 



After the excellent results secured from the small apparatus 

 referred to, I had another, much larger, constructed which has 

 been operated since November. 



It is composed of a case of wood, the interior of which is 

 covered with lead, and has a capacity of six hectolitres, and 

 contains four large funnels in square sections the sides of 

 which are 50 centimetres. Thus I have an extent of one 

 square metre upon which to arrange the material for examina- 

 tion, and I can place four different kinds of material from 

 four different localities on these sieves. 



The water is about three hectolitres and is kept at 6o° or 

 70 , and for some hours the temperature is maintained by 

 means of a large gas heater. 



This heater which serves me well also for heating the room 

 in which it is placed, consumes about three cubic metres of 

 gas per day, which proves that with an expense of about one 

 lira, I daily obtain without any trouble, a greater number of 

 small insects than ten persons with all the fatigue and patience 

 possible, would be able to collect in the same length of time, 

 and besides, I have the assurance that scarcely an individual 

 insect has escaped. (Fig. 2). 



Material to be examined. — Mosses, fallen and decayed leaves, 

 humus, soil under stones, etc., are very rich in various forms 



