Retrospect 'we Criticism, 459 



assistant at the same time raises and lowers the sashes of the window. — 

 J. Murray, CarmartheUy Aiir'd 2. 1830. 



Fildria. (p. 149.) — During my present pedestrian rambles through South 

 Wales, I accidentally stumbled on a specimen of Leptura, which had been 

 crushed on the road about two miles from Abergavenny. In this case, my 

 attention was arrested by what seemed to be several coils of a thready 

 matter, not much unlike fine catgut, and protruded from the abdomen. I 

 carefully removed this, and found it to be Filaria, more than 3 in. long : it 

 was still alive, and seemed to have threaded itself into a knot {Jig. 1 14.) in 



jjj^ the body of the insect. The conductor 



of that very elegant and valuable periodical 

 the Botanic Garden may, therefore, be per- 

 suaded, with myself, that it will be found 

 more generally an intestinal parasite, in coleopterous insects, than it may 

 be at present believed, and that it is by no means peculiar to the Forf Icula. 

 — J. Murray, Carmarthen^ April 2. 1830. 



Drying Plants. — Having (Vol. II. p. 245.) recommended the plan of 

 drying plants between papers from an experience of more than twenty 

 years, I deem it my duty to such of your readers as may have put it in 

 practice, to inform them that I have this season tried, with unlooked-for 

 success, the method long since recommended by Mr. Whateley, in the • 

 introductory volume of Withering's Botanical Arrangement, of drying them 

 in sand. The ultimate result of each, when properly pursued, is nearly 

 similar ; but the expedition, the great saving of time and trouble, and the 

 ease with which the requisite pressure is adjusted, give to the process by 

 sand such decided advantages, that I cannot too strongly recommend it. 

 I generally place the sand-boxes in an oven, and heat the sand to about 

 100° Fahrenheit.* As many of your young readers may not have access to 

 Withering's now superseded volumes, it m^ht be well if you would copy Mr. ; 

 Whateley's directions into your valuable pages. — J. E. B. June 3. 1830," 



" Previously to the dr}dng of plants by this plan, it will be necessary to^ 

 procure the apparatus: — 1. A strong oak box, of the size and shape of' 

 those used for the packing up of tin plates. 2. A quantity of fine dry and 

 searced sand of any kind, sufficient to fill the box. 3. A considerable 

 number of pieces of pliant paper, from 1 in. to 4 in. square. 4. Some small 

 flat leaden weights, and a few small bound books, 



" The specimen of any plant intended for the herbarium should be care- 

 fiilly collected when dry, and in the height of its flowering, with the different 

 parts as perfect as possible, and in the smaller plants the roots should be 

 taken up. It should then be brought home in a tin-box, well closed from 

 the air. The plant should be cleared from the decayed leaves and dirt, 

 and afterwards laid upon the inside of one of the leaves of a sheet of com- 

 mon cap paper. The upper leaves and flowers should then be covered in 

 an expanded state with pieces -j- of the prepared paper, which may be placed 

 in any irregular way, and kept down by the fingers till these parts of the 

 plant are entirely covered by them : and after that, let one or two of the 

 leaden weights be placed upon the papers. The parts of the plants below 

 should then be covered with the pieces of paper, and likewise with the 

 weights, and thus the whole plant should be laid in its proper expanded 

 form by the same method. The weights should then be carefully removed. 



* Twenty-four or thii*ty-six hours in this temperature generally produces 

 complete desiccation. 



" f As the beauty of the specimen depends very much upon this part of- 

 the process, each large petal ought to be laid flat, separately, with a piece 

 of paper, and the utmost care taken that every part of the plant be laid 

 down without folds, which may be done, in general, in a short time." 



H H 2 



