884 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



have attempted to preserve these insects in the manner usually recom- 

 mended namely as dry pinned specimens, are often disappointed at the 

 result. 



As it is by no means a pleasant thing to have to watch the gradual 

 deterioration of a collection over which much time and trouble has been 

 spent, we are sure that there will be many who will welcome the description 

 of a new and simple method of mounting mosquitoes which provides speci- 

 mens that are absolutely permanent. 



Mosquitoes preserved in the manner described below will be found to 

 show all the points necessary for identification ; they can be mounted with- 

 out great difficulty ; can be easily stored and handled, and are ideal for 

 demonstration purposes. 



Most people who have worked with mosquitoes have at one time or 

 another attempted to preserve them in balsam. This, of course, is quite 

 hopeless, as directly the balsam touches the specimen, the scales 

 float off, and the specimen is rapidly cleared and becomes almost 

 transparent. 



In this new method the specimen is primarily fixed and coated with a 

 thin covering of celloidin, which protects the mosquito from the clearing 

 action of the balsam and prevents the dislodgment of the scales and hairs. 

 The natural appearance of the insect is thus preserved . 



Method. 



The materials required are — 



Cover slips — No. 2 Circles. 

 Hollow ground slides. 

 Fine forceps. 

 Mounted needles— two. 



Alcoholic solution of celloidin — 1 per cent, to 2 per cent. 

 Emulsion" of zinc oxide in Xylol Balsam. 

 The mosquitoes to be mounted should preferably be bred-out specimens, 

 which have been allowed to harden for some hours before killing. 



A live specimen should be transferred to a test-tube or small bottle, and 

 this should be inverted upon a small board upon which a little chloroform 

 has been dropped. 



The mosquito should be merely stupefied, and if too much chloroform has 

 not been used, it will frequently fall upon its back witt the wings spread 

 out. The absorption of chloroform by the wood will prevent actual wetting 

 of the specimen which would damage the scales. 



A drop of the celloidin solution is no v placed on a cover slip and the 

 mosquito is picked up with the forceps by one of its legs and dropped back 

 downwards on to the cover slip. If the wings are still closed, they are 

 gently drawn out at right angles to the body, using two needles for this 



