BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [122] 



useful for keeping living larvse with their food-plants, especially if 

 tied up in stout brown paper to prevent any exit from the unsoldered 

 angles. They will also answer admirably for mailing or otherwise send- 











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FiG. 127.— Tin mailing-box in the flat: a, box; h, cover (original). 



Ing specimens to their ultimate destination. In the case of larvse a 

 quantity of the food-plant should always be inclosed in the box. 



In transmitting insects for information the greatest care should be 

 taken to relieve the person of whom information is sought of as much 

 unnecessary work as possible. It is easy for any beginner to collect 

 more in a single day than an experienced entomologist can well mount, 

 study, and determine in a week, and as those who have the means and 

 information to give determinations or otherwise to assist beginners are 

 generally very much occupied, and their time is valuable, they are justi- 

 fied in ignoring miscellaneous collectings where the sender has made no 



effort to either properly mount or 

 otherwise study and care for his 

 specimens. 



Living specimens, especially larvae, 

 should be jjacked in tin, with a sup- 

 ply of their appropriate food. The 

 tighter the box the fresher will the 

 food as well as the specimens keep. Insects do not easily suffocate, 

 and it is worse than useless, in the majority of cases, to punch air-holes 

 in such boxes. Dead specimens, when not pinned, may be sent in a 

 variety of ways. Small ones may be dropped into a quill and inclosed 

 in a letter, or a small vial fitted into a piece of bored wood. Those 

 which do not spoil by wetting may be sent in alcohol, provided the bot- 



TiG. 128.— Tin mailing-box, bent into shape for 

 use (original.) 



