ftetrospective Criticism. 459 
assistant at the same time raises and lowers the sashes of the window. — 
J. Murray. Carmarthen, April 2. 1830. 
Fildria. (p. 149.) — During my present pedestrian rambles through South 
Wales, I accidentally stumbled on a specimen of Lepttira, which had been 
crushed on the road about two miles from Abergavenny. In this case, my 
attention was arrested by what seemed to be several coils of a thready 
matter, not much unlike fine catgut, and protruded from the abdomen. T 
carefully removed this, and found it to be Filaria, more than 3 in. long: it 
was still alive, and seemed to have threaded itself into a knot (jig. 114.) in 
114 the body of the insect. The conductor 
of that very elegant and valuable periodical 
the Botanic Garden may, therefore, be per- 
suaded, with myself, that it will be found 
more generally an intestinal parasite, in coleopterous insects, than it may 
be at present believed, and that it is by no means peculiar to the Forficula. 
— J. Murray. Carmarthen, April 2. 1830. 
Drying Plants. — Having (Vol. I. p. 245.) recommended the plan of 
drying plants between papers from an experience of more than twenty 
years, I deem it my duty to such of your readers as may have put it in 
practice, to inform them that I have this season tried, with unlooked-for 
success, the method long since recommended by Mr. Whateley, in the 
introductory volume of Withering’s Botanical Arrangement, of drying them 
in sand. The ultimate result of each, when properly pursued, is nearly 
similar ; but the expedition, the great saving of time and trouble, and the 
ease with which the requisite pressure is adjusted, give to the process by 
sand such decided advantages, that I cannot too strongly recommend it. 
I generally place the sand-boxes in an oven, and heat the sand to about 
100° Fahrenheit.* As many of your young readers may not have access to 
Withering’s now superseded volumes, it might be well if you would copy Mr. 
Whateley’s directions into your valuable pages. — J. FE. B. June 3. 1830. 
* Previously to the drying of plants by this plan, it will be necessary to 
procure the apparatus:— 1. A strong oak box, of the size and shape of 
those used for the packing up of tin plates. 2. A quantity of fine dry and 
searced sand of any kind, sufficient to fill the box. 3. A considerable 
number of pieces of pliant paper, from lin. to 4in. square. 4. Some small 
flat leaden weights, and a few small bound books. 
«“ The specimen of any plant intended for the herbarium should be care- 
fully collected when dry, and in the height of its flowering, with the different 
parts as perfect as possible, and in the smaller plants the roots should be 
taken up. It should then be brought home in a tin-box, well closed from 
the air. The plant should be cleared from the decayed leaves and dirt, 
and afterwards laid upon the inside of one of the leaves of a sheet of coms 
mon cap paper. ‘The upper leaves and flowers should then be covered in 
an expanded state with pieces + of the prepared paper, which may be placed 
in any irregular way, and kept down by the fingers till these parts of the 
plant are entirely covered by them: and after that, let one or two of the 
leaden weights be placed upon the papers. The parts of the plants below 
should then be covered with the pieces of paper, and likewise with the 
weights, and thus the whole plant should be laid in its proper expanded 
form by the same method. The weights should then be carefully removed, 
* Twenty-four or thirty-six hours in this temperature generally produces 
complete desiccation. 
“ + As the beauty of the specimen depends very much upon this part of 
the process, each large petal ought to be laid flat, separately, with a piece 
of paper, and the utmost care taken that every part of the plant be laid 
down without folds, which may be done, in general, in a short time.” 
HH 2 
