Vol. Xxiv] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 391 



or starch into sugar ; or that a similar environment excites 

 activity in organized ferments. Biologists contend that en- 

 vironment plays a very important part in the variation of or- 

 ganisms, not only in the modification of coloration, but also 

 in sculpturing. 



It is important to emphasize the necessity of observing large 

 series of insects and of keeping very careful and detailed rec- 

 ords of the meteorological conditions attending their onto- 

 genesis under natural conditions, in order to correlate the ob- 

 served facts with analogous data obtained through experimen- 

 tation in the laboratory. 



The collecting of large numbers of coccinellids necessitates 

 some rapid and effective way of cleansing them after re- 

 moval from the cyanide bottle. It is well known that these 

 beetles throw out secretions from glands situated in the sides 

 of their bodies and from articulations, besides regurgitating 

 the ingesta. 



It is recommended that the entire catch of the specimens, 

 few or many in number, be placed in a vial and that they 

 be covered with chloroform and gently shaken for about one- 

 half of a minute. That the chloroform be then poured off 

 into another vial and the insects shaken out upon a sheet of 

 blotting paper to permit of the evaporation of the chloro- 

 form. They will then be perfectly clean, bright and shining 

 with colors and sculpturing fully cleared for study. 



Bibliography. 



Blaisdell, F. E. — A Monographic Revision of the Coleoptera belong- 

 ing to the Tenebrionide Tribe Eleodiini. Bull. 63, U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 1009. 



Studies in the Tenebrionid Tribe Eleodiini. Ent. News, Vol. XXI, 

 No. 2, p. 60, 1010. 



Tower, W. L. — An Investigation of Evolution in Chrysomelid 

 Beetles of the Genus Leptinotarsus, Pub. Carnegie Institution of 

 Washington (Paper No. 4, Station for Experimental Evolution). 



Casey, Thos. L. — Revision of the Coccinellidae, lour. N. Y. Ent. Soc, 

 1899, P. 93- 



Palmer, Miriam A. — Some Notes on Heredity in the Coccinellid 

 Genus Adalia Mulsant, Annals Ent. Soc. Amer., Vol. IV, No. 3, 

 191 1, p. 283. 



