PEESEEYATION OF SPECIMENS IN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUMS. 155 



8. SiLVESTRi, F. — " Contribuzione alia conoscenza del Termitidi e Termito- 



fili delF Eritrsea." Redia, vol. iii. pp. 341-359 (1905). 



9. Beues, C. T.— Phoridfe. Genera Insectorum, 44th £asc. (1906). 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 22. 



^NIGMATISTES AFRICANUS, gCD. et Sp. nOV. 



Fig. 1. Dorsal view. X 46. 



Fig. 2. Ventral view. X 45. a, Antenna; 5, maxillary palp. 



Fig. 3. Head in side view. X 85. b, Maxillary palp ; c, eye ; c/, seta ; e, lateral 



edge of pronotum. 

 Fig. 4. Antenna, x 2-50. /, First joint; f/, second joint. 

 Fig. 5. Labrum, maxillary palpi, and hypopharynx. The parts have been separated 



and the left palpus is shown from the inner aspect. X 85. ph, Entrance 



to pharynx. 



The Preservation of Specimens in Australian Museums. 

 By J. G. Otto Teppee, F.L.S. 



[Read 21st November, 1907.] 



Aftee reading the — for me — very interesting paper " Contribution to the 

 Physiology of the Museum Beetle, &c.," by Dr. J. Ewart, F.L.S. &c., in 

 No. 195 of the Journal (and the last to hand), I have thought it might not 

 prove amiss if I communicated to you some notes on my experiences relating 

 to the same subject, of which you may make any use you may think 

 it worth while. 



For about 24 years I have had the insect collections of the South 

 Australian Museum under my care officially, while at home a considerable 

 botanical collection (mostly Australian) claims my attention privately. 

 Part of the original insect cases (Mrs. Krausler and Mr. Odewahn, 1850 odd 

 to 1876) were of a rough loose type ; the others, though well-made cedar 

 glass cases, were however by no means air-tight, and all were more or less 

 infested with Anthrenus and Tineid larvse, when handed over to me. I 

 cleared them effectively by moistening the specimens with benzol with a 

 camel-hair brush, the youngest larvse being killed, the others made to quit 

 their lurking places hastily and thus permitting their extermination. After 

 repeated treatments the lepidopterous larvse, mites, and mould were got rid 

 of for good, while those of the Antlirenus only reappeared sparingly and 

 sporadically. However, without some permanent deterrent this method 

 entailed frequent time absorbing inspections, without adequate security 

 against inroads, therefore various substances were successively tried. 

 Camphor proved to be a more or less deceptive expedient, without injuring 



