distinguishable from ultronia, I was much surprised when the resultant cocoon 

 gave a yellow-winged moth instead of the red-winged ultronia. Later, for the 

 first time, I found two of these moths in our woods. 



It may be of value to those unfamiliar with the Catocala group to learn 

 that unijuga feeds on poplar, cerogama on linden, parta on willow and poplar, 

 innubens on locust, arnica on oak, amatrix on willow and poplar, cara on willow 

 and poplar, relicta on aspen, willow, poplar and wild birch, vidua on walnut 

 and hickory, retecta on hickory, palaeogama on walnut and hickory, piatrix on 

 butternut and neogama on walnut and butternut. 



TRICK IN MOUNTING NOCTUIDS. 



(By Foster H. Benjamin, 1 18 McDonough St., Brooklyn, N. Y.) 



One day last summer, when I was over to the Brooklyn Institute of Arts 

 and Sciences, Mr. Jacob Doll, Curator of Entomology, very kindly taught me 

 a new trick in the mounting of noctuids. Make a solution of gum tragacanth, 

 such as cigar makers use, and after the insects have properly dried on the 

 spreading boards, take them off, and with some delicate instrument put a little 

 of the paste just where the wing hinges on to the body, on the under side. 

 Put the specimen back on the spreading board and allow to dry for another 

 day or so. The gum dries, and holds the wings out at the angle of the 

 spreading board. It is transparent and so does not look bad, indeed cannot 

 be seen if done properly, while by doing it all the noctuids in a collection 

 will then have their wings spread at the same definite angle. Noctuids, as you 

 know, are poor things to mount because of the habit of the wings drooping after 

 removing them from board. This plan is the only one that I have ever heard 

 of which gets rid of this difficulty which makes a good collection look like the 

 work of some one who has only had a few days at mounting and doesn't know 

 how. 



SUGGESTED CORRECTIONS. 



I am very grateful to* receive suggestions correcting, explaining or differing 

 from anything contained in The Butterfly Farmer. Correspondents will feel 

 free to criticize, or in any manner assist in the work we are trying to do. We 

 have received the following: 



Foster H. Benjamin, 1 18 McDonough St., Brooklyn, N. Y., writes: 



"I note that one of your correspondents views formold with somewhat of 

 disfavor. He states that alcohol is far better. Perhaps it is, but in my esti- 

 mation it is not. Alcohol, unless very carefully used, destroys specimens, causes 

 some to turn black, and many to fall to pieces. Formold does not do this. If 

 you use it, 1 part (40% solution) of it to 20 parts water, you will have an 

 ideal preservative for all kinds of insects except Lepidoptera. Of course, it 

 causes sp. to lose color; but alcohol does the same and more quickly. It 

 hardens insects it is true, but this is no evil, as then the insect cannot deteriorate 

 as it might in alcohol. Besides if you want to get the insect soft so as to mount 

 it all you have to do is to put it in a little warm water. This removes the 

 chemical and relaxes the insect. 



"I note that another correspondent states that cyanide makes insects like 

 certain specimens of wasps, etc., almost impossible to spread. I do not think 

 that the gentleman has tried putting his wasps in a relaxing box for a few hours. 

 This would overcome all that trouble. Most museum collectors collect with 



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