602 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol, XIII, 
6, Spread out and arrange the legs and wings in suitable position by 
means of a fine handled needle, 
After a few trials, it will be found that pinning an insect in the way above 
described involves far less trouble than making it into a microscopic 
specimen; but, if materials for pinning be wanting, fairly recognizable 
specimens may be made by mounting the insect dry, in a deep cell or in 
one of the slides recommended by the late Dr, Carpenter for mounting 
foraminifera. 
These consist of a slip of deal 3”x1”x 7k” with a hole 32” in the middle, 
This perforation forms the wall of the cell and is closed on both sides with 
ordinary cover squares, secured in place by perforated labels, so that the 
specimen between the covers can be viewed from either side. The sides of the 
perfor-tion should be brushed with creosote to prevent mildew, and the prepa- 
ration dried as rapidly as possible in the sun, 
Wings monnted dry as microscopic specimens are however valuable, but 
when made, great care should be taken to mark with corresponding letters, 
slide and pinned specimen, without which latter such slides are valueless, 
Specimens may also be transmitted fairly safely, in short lengths of glass 
tubing of a size just sufficient to admit the insect, but too small for it to 
shake about easily, The tubes should be simply tied up ima square of 
muslin, as if sealed ; the contents are certain to mildew ; but whatever plan 
you adopt, ON NO ACCOUNT PACK INSECTS IN COTTON WOOL, as 
it is impossible to extricate them from it without breaking them. 
Just as mature insects can be obtained from larve, so it is generally 
possible to get larve from the former ; but a somewhat larger apparatus is 
necessary. Take an earthenware dish,at least 1 foot in diameter and 4 
inches deep and fill it with puddle water which has been strained through | 
muslin to avoid the falacy of its already containing larve. A cover is 
made for this consisting of a square of thin plank a few:inches wider than the 
dish, with a large hole occupying the greater part of its centre, In the four 
corners are small holes into which are fixed four small upright sticks about 
18” high so as to form the supports of a miniature mosquito net made of 
gauze or the material known as “ leno,’ and is made close by means of 
tin tacks, to the edges of the plank. 
The whole thing can be lifted off and on to the dish, and when in position 
a mosquito introduced into the net is securely confined, The triangular 
corners of the board can be utilized to carry banana or syrup as food, or may 
be smeared with mud in order to ascertain if the species ever deposit eggs 
in such situations, It is best to experiment with females that have had a 
feed of blood; or, in the case of sylvan gnats, with specimens taken in the 
open, as unless fully fed, they will rarely deposit their eggs. The form of 
the egg boats, or groups in which the eggs are deposited, should be carefully 
noted, and the larve preserved, when sufficiently grown. 
