NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 115 



three, and from Eannoch at 65s. per lot of two for the two lots 

 offered. A fine male Hydrilla palustris, of Farn's own taking, made 

 55s. Noctua subrosea ranged from 21s. to 63s. each, and Cerastis 

 erythrocephala from 7s. to 12s. per couple, while an aberration of 

 Euclidia glyphica having the outer third of its wings buff colour 

 made £3 10s. Catocala fraxini in couples sold for 21s. and 28s., 

 and Dianthecia barettii and D. albimacula put up in lots containing 

 twelve of each species 32s. 6d. and 28s. per lot. Xylina furcifera 

 (conformis) in lots of four made 32s. M. to 45s. per lot, a lot of six 

 X. conformis and one X. lambda (zinckenii) 60s., and two other lots 

 in each of which one X. lambda was included 80s. and 55s. respectively. 

 A lot of sixty-four insects in which one each of Thalpochares ostrina 

 and T. parva were included ran up to £4, while another lot which 

 contained among its eighteen Venilia macularia one almost spotless 

 and four heavily-blotched forms realised the like amount. Two 

 Boletobia fuliginaria sold as one lot made 30s., and three Chora 

 angularia {viduaria) 60s. the lot. A sporting lot of six insects, viz. 

 two Aplasia ononaria, three Lythria purpuraria and one Sp. ? sold 

 for 42s., and another consisting of three L. purpuraria and three 

 Sterrha sacraria 35s., while two lots of three S. sacraria each made 

 35s. and 37s. 6d. per lot respectively. The collection was not strong 

 in remarkable forms of Abraxas grossulariata, and the highest price 

 paid for any one lot of the species was 45s. for one of ten specimens. 

 Long and varied series of Melanippe montanata made 50s., of Gidaria 

 truncata (russata) 55s., and C. immanata 50s. and 40s., while two 

 specimens of G. prunata, " suffused forms with cream bands," ran up 

 to 70s. The " Micros " also sold fairly well, quite a number of lots 

 realising between one and two pounds each. The cabinets that con- 

 tained the collection were all well made and in thoroughly good 

 condition, with drawers 20 X 18 inches, and the prices at which they 

 sold were for those with 36 drawers £59 17s., £50, and £73 10s. ; for 

 the two 18-drawer pedestals £28 and £25 4s. ; for the 12-drawer 

 pedestal £14; and for a 20-drawer pedestal with 18 x 16-inch 

 drawers £22. Among four lots of books that were included in the 

 sale, one consisting of Newman's ' British Moths ' interleaved with 

 notes by Farn and ' Stainton's Manual ' sold for 20s., and another of 

 14 parts of Mosley's ' Illustrations of Varieties of British Lepidoptera ' 

 £8. The total realised for the whole collection, cabinets and books was, 

 in round figures, £2100. — R A. 



A New Method of Preserving Specimens. — We understand 

 that " Thymo-Plas," a specially prepared plasticine compound for 

 the preservation of specimens in small handy cells, has now been put 

 on the market together with the necessary accessories by Messrs. 

 Harbutt's Plasticine, Ltd. The method is the invention of Dr. 

 Alfred Moore, and has been adopted by the Entomological Depart- 

 ment of the Royal College of Science. It is claimed that by tins 

 method specimens can be kept in a fresh condition for very long 

 periods. 



' Zoological Record.'— Since 1914 the whole cost of printing and 

 publishing this invaluable annual summary of zoological literature 

 has been borne by the Zoological Society of London. Owing to the 



