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crevices of the bark or amongst the Hchens, the colour of which some 

 very closely resemble. In fact, there are very few localities where Hemi- 

 ptera may not be found. Any one who has access to old barns or 

 church roofs, or such like localities where bats nest, should not fail to 

 try and get the rare Cimex pipistrelli, which is parasitic on the bat. 

 Martins' nests also sometimes contain C. hirtmdmis. Many years 

 ago I found the latter in some numbers on the window of a house in 

 this neighbourhood, which had a martin's nest just over it. The lady 

 of the house took me up to the room in great concern, as she was 

 horrified at finding what she feared were ordinary house bugs, and was 

 much amused and consoled at my delight in capturing them, and was 

 only too anxious for me to repeat my visits till all danger was over ! 

 Still these experiences are rare, and I have never since seen the 

 creature alive. 



Hemiptera should not be left long in the cyanide bottle, but should 

 be set if possible the same day as they are captured, as if they get 

 over-damp their legs are apt to fall off, and their membranes to curl up 

 at the apex. The best way to set them, in my opinion, is to mount 

 them across narrow strips of card. These need only be very short, 

 so that the insect almost touches the pin. By this method almost the 

 whole of the under side can be examined. Another way is to put 

 them somewhat sideways on a longitudinal strip ; this answers as well 

 as the other, and it is a mere matter of taste as to which looks best. 

 Some prefer to pin everything, but unless silver pins are used the risk 

 of destruction by verdigris is very great. The ordinary method of 

 carding is objectionable, as it hides the under side ; but if in the mind 

 of any entomologist this is of less importance than the look of the 

 specimen, then I would strongly advise that the legs be left free, and 

 not gummed down, as the claws afford valuable characters, and it is 

 impossible to examine them if clogged with tragacanth. Ordinary 

 liquid glue is, I "find, as good as anything for mounting purposes. 

 The cards (of whatever shape they are) should be pinned with fairly 

 long pins, and raised within a quarter of an inch of the head, so that 

 a strong lens can be brought to bear on the insect. Care should be 

 taken not to leave newly-set specimens in any place where Psoci can 

 get to them, as these little wretches will eat away the slender apical 

 joints of the antennae, &c., and utterly spoil the specimens. 



A good collection of British Hemiptera Heteroptera should fill 

 about ten to twelve single-sided boxes, such as those sold by Janson. 

 These to my mind are particularly well suited for a student's collection, 

 as, being shallow, the insects if pinned high are brought up close 

 to the eye, and can be examined with a glass with unusual facility. 



The chief characters which have been used to distinguish the 

 various families, genera, &c., apart, lie in the antennce, the rostrum, 

 the form of the head and thorax, the component parts of the elytra, 

 the joints of the tarsi, the claws, and the position of the insertion 

 of the legs, /. e. of the coxal cavities. 



It is impossible here to attempt any sketch of a classification, but 



