408 The Philippine Journal of Science 192s 



dries, secures the wing to the glass in the position desired. The 

 slight opacity of the shellac will leave a mark on the finished 

 enlargement hardly perceptible if the work be carefully done. 



The plate is then put into a dust-proof box, where it is left 

 for a day or two in order that the shellac may dry thoroughly, 

 and it is then ready for the next step. This consists in putting 

 it into a printing frame, superimposing a fresh, non-halation, 

 orthochromatic plate, and exposing it for the brief period 

 necessary. 



It will be found upon examining the dried negative that every 

 vein, except those in the most opaque wings of certain Tipul- 

 idse, is as distinct as could be desired and any pattern that may 

 appear on the wing membrane detracts but little from the clarity 

 of the venation. From this negative the bromide enlargement 

 can be made with results as good as or better than those shown 

 in the accompanying plate. 



The same results are obtainable with wings of Hymenoptera, 

 Neuroptera, Orthoptera, and especially Odonata, the actual draw- 

 ing of the wings and veins of which is a bugaboo to any ento- 

 mological draftsman. 



With Lepidoptera and Culicidae the problem is slightly more 

 complicated but resolves itself, in both cases, into removing the 

 scales or making them transparent by Comstock's method. 1 



Although somewhat tedious in specimens of these two groups, 

 the work is well repaid by the accurate and pleasing results ob- 

 tained and, since in most cases the wings of the Lepidoptera must 

 be denuded or made transparent before drawing them, anyhow, 

 the time saved is quite sufficient to warrant this procedure with 

 them. 



Insects such as Coleoptera, Sphingidse, and certain Rhopa- 

 locera which have a thick costa can be treated by a skillful 

 photographer in such a manner as to obviate over- or underex- 

 posure of any portion. 



When the enlargement has been prepared, it can be used as a 

 base and the venation can be inked in by the draftsman with 

 greatest ease. 



I have also found in the course of my experimentation that 

 other parts of insects (legs, antennae, mouth parts, and even 

 body segments when preserved in balsam on slides) can be re- 



1 Comstock, J. H., and Needham, J. G., The wings of insects, Am. Nat. 



