THE FUNGI OF INDIA. 1283 



submitted to the fumes may have chrysalides which will hatch 

 out and eventually destroy the specimen. I learned from 

 Mr. Komell of Stockholm a very simple process which is as 

 inexpensive as it is effectual for specimens that are preserved 

 in boxes, but of course does not apply to specimens pasted on 

 sheets. Simply put in each box a liberal quantity of flake 

 naphthalene. For boxes the size of No. ^ and No. 1 a tea- 

 spoonful, and for larger boxes a larger quantity in proportion, 

 . Flake naphthalene does not affect the specimens at all, but it 

 kills the insects, not onl}^ those that may be in the plant, but 

 those that develop afterwards. I have recently gone through 

 our private collection of some ten thousand specimens or more 

 and dumped into each box a sufficient quantity of this flake 

 naphthalene. I do not anticipate there will ever be any 

 trouble in future Math insects in my collection. Flake 

 naphthalene is comparatively inexpensive, and tM^o or three 

 pounds will take care of two or three hundred specimens. It 

 costs about fifteen cents per pound." 



4. As to the fleshy slender Agarics which always cause great 

 difficulties, there are a good many species which may be treated as 

 mentioned under No. 2. We have adopted this method with 

 success in numerous cases, even with those species which have 

 delicate cartilaginous stalks like Marasmius (cf. Fig. 6). But a 

 great number of the fleshy Agarics resist an}- attempt to dry them. 

 There are even some (Coprinus, etc.), which regularly melt into a 

 black gelatinous mass as soon as thej^ are ripe. These must be 

 preserved in tubes filled with alcohol. 



5. Of the Hymenomycetes spores should be procured. For this 

 purpose fresh specimens must be put on a slide, or a piece of 

 window-glass, or dark paper in such a way that the lamellae (in 

 Agarics) or tubes (in Polyporeee) or teeth (in Hydnacese) or the 

 smooth surface (in Telephoracege) look towards the glass or paper. 

 After a few hours the spores will fall away, covering the glass with 

 a fine layer of white or reddish powder. The glass or paper should 

 then be wrapped up in paper and packed together with the dried 

 specimen. Care must be taken not to mix up the corresponding 

 powders and specimens. 



