14 



insects, and, whenever numbers of examples are found to he dead or 

 dying, specimens should be collected and submitted without delay to 

 some specialist on this class of diseases. 



METHODS OF COLLECTING AND REARING LIVING MATERIAL. 



It is always desirable to collect living material to rear or breed for 

 the purpose of securing data on life histories and habits. This will 

 consist of eggs, larvae, and pupa? of foliage-infesting insects to be 

 reared in breeding cages: also bark, wood, branches, and twigs infested 

 with immature stages, to be reared to adults in breeding jars, boxes, 

 or cages. 



Specimens from the foliage should be collected in small tin boxes, 

 together with a small amount of their natural food. Some of the 

 smaller things may be reared in the boxes in which they are first col- 

 lected, if supplied from time to time with fresh food material, while 

 others must be transferred to breeding cages or larger tin boxes. Liv- 

 ing specimens in wood or bark are easily collected in sections cut from 

 the infested parts of the plant, and carried in the larger pockets of the 

 hunting coat: or. if a long distance from the laboratory, they may be 

 packed in bundles or boxes and shipped by the most convenient method 

 available. 



For breeding specimens from this kind of material, the writer has 

 secured excellent results by the use of different-sized fruit jars with 

 clamp covers. The screw-topped jars are also very convenient for this 

 purpose. For very large sections, or a large amount of material of 

 one kind, tight barrels or large wood or galvanized-iron boxes may be 

 used to advantage. 



For carrying on the more elaborate work of rearing from wood and 

 bark, a specially constructed insectary is necessary. Wood and bark 

 infesting larva? and pupae, and parasitic larva 1 in cocoons, may be suc- 

 cessfully reared to adults in bottles or vials which are just large enough 

 to accommodate single specimens. These small ^ ials with cork or cot- 

 ton stoppers are indeed specially convenient for the rearing of parasitic 

 larvae and pupa? taken from the mines or pupa cases of the wood or 

 bark-inhabiting host. 



PRESERVING. MOUNTING. AND LABELING SPECIMENS. 



The specimens that are killed in 25 per cent alcohol should be 

 removed from the bottles in a day or two after they are collected, 

 then cleaned thoroughly and replaced in clear 80 or 90 per cent alco- 

 hol. The specimens killed in the cyanide bottle should be gone over, 

 separated, and either mounted or stored where they will be free from 

 museum pests. 



The specimens of work of insects should have the surplus parts 

 removed, and should be labeled and stored where they will be readily 



