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hard, tapering, and nearly hairless, a very few scattering but rather 
long hairs occurring near the tip, so that apparently it would not be 
impossible for it to be used as a piercing organ. Experiments with a 
living specimen indicate, however, that the general conclusions ad- 
vanced hold also with this insect. The setse are thrust a quarter of an 
inch or more against or into any object presented, but no effort whatever 
is made to puncture with the beak. — C. L. M. 
BIRDS AND BARK-LICE. 
As a general thing birds have not been considered to possess any 
economic importance as destroyers of bark-lice. There is a South 
African bird, called the white eye (Zosterops capensis), which has been 
frequently recorded as preying upon the large Lecaniinse, but we are 
not familiar with instances of similar work on the part of North Ameri- 
can birds. Mr. R. Newstead, in the April, 1895, number of the Ento- 
mologist's Monthly Magazine, publishes some facts of this kind. In 
nine stomachs of the blue tit and long- tailed tit he found numerous 
specimens of Aspidiotus zonatus and Asterodiaspis quercicola and a few 
of Mytilaspis pomorum. He has also seen, with the aid of field-glasses, 
the tree-creeper (Certhia familiar is) collecting Mytilaspis pomorum dur- 
ing winter and spring. 
STAINING THE WINGS OF INSECTS. 
In No. 4 of Volume I of the Biological Review of Ontario, Dr. H. W. 
Hill gives the following method, devised at the request of Dr. Brodie, 
of staining the veins in the wings of certain insects: 
Place the whole insect in a strong alcoholic solution of fuchsin and allow it to 
remain there for forty-eight hours. Then transfer the insect to water with a pair 
of fine forceps and wash it until no more color comes away, changing the water if 
necessary. While the washed insect floats in clear water slip a microscope slide 
under it, raise the slide, holding the insect on it with a fine needle, separate the 
wings from the body with a fine scalpel and remove the body. With a drop or two 
of clear water on the slide float the wings into any desired position, keeping them 
flat and un wrinkled, taking care to have no bubbles under them. Remove any 
excess of water with blotting paper and allow the wings to dry. Then place a drop 
of thick Canada balsam near them and heat the slide over a spirit or gas flame. 
Tilt the slide so that the now liquefied balsam flows over the wings; lower a cover- 
glass gently into position, and allow the preparation to cool. On examination the 
veins will be found red, the depth of the coloring varying with the length of time 
of staining, the thickness of the veins, etc. The color is well retained, so far as has 
been tried, and successful photographs have been made. 
NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 
A new Grain-moth Parasite. — Mr. John G. Jack, of Jamaica Plain, Mass., sends 
us a series of Bracon (Hair dbr aeon) honestor Say, which he has reared in considerable 
numbers from the common little Indian-meal moth, Plodia interpunctella. 
Florida Orange Scales in Ceylon. — Mr. Albert Koebele, writing from Kaudy, 
Ceylon, January 5, 1895, informs us that he has found there orange trees badly 
