1889.] 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



55 



BBB. Inf. app. shorter than preceding, collar larger, teeth much 



larger than exulans ; but not so large as Filipendulce Meliloti. 

 A A. Inf. app. not produced beyond the flap. 



C. Inf. app. very stout, slightly curved at the tip; collar small, with 



a few small hooks drawn out : Minos. 

 CC. Inf. app. shorter, rounder, collar broad, large hooks : Trifolii and 



honker a. 



The hooks on lonicera are larger and bolder than trifolii, but 

 although they look very different, it is difficult to describe the differ- 

 ence. 



I have worked several other groups, and can safely say in every 

 case the parts examined were sufficient in every way to decide a 

 species. 



For the benefit of those who would like to satisfy themselves, I 

 will give particulars of the process I adopted for preparing specimens. 

 I admit the mounting as specimen slides for the microscope requires 

 a great amount of care, and was an end I did not attempt to attain. 

 Though for beauty and elegance of shape, and structure, I consider 

 these wonderful appendages rival the better known though not more 

 beautiful portions of insects, such as the fly's tongue, so generally 

 mounted and shown as slides for the microscope. The females do 

 not seem to have the curious structure of the males, mostly having a 

 simple ovipositor. The male abdomen is first cut off from the thorax, 

 and soaked in potash hydroxide, from a few days to a few weeks ac- 

 cording to the density of the chittine, it is then taken out of the potash 

 and put into water ; by gentle pressure on the abdomen the parts will 

 fly out, and with the aid of a simple lens, must as well as possible be 

 placed in position, needles, tweezers, &c, being used for this purpose. 

 After being washed for a few hours the object is placed on a slide and 

 again arranged, then a cover glass is placed on to keep the parts 

 extended, and freely dehydrated with absolute alcohol, and only using 

 sufficient pressure on the cover to keep the parts extended. In the 

 course of a few minutes the anus will be quite hard, when it may be 

 removed to essential oil of cloves, where it may remain until con- 

 venient time for mounting, I recommend not less than two or three 

 days. For mounting, take a glass slip, on which put a drop of Canada 

 balsam, which must then be heated sufficiently that the balsam will 

 set on cooling (the necessary heat can only be got by experiment, 

 much depending on the stiffness of the balsam. The slide must then 

 be removed from the heat, and the object placed in the still hot bal- 

 sam. Heat a cover glass a second in the flame, and carefully place 



