Ellis : On the Preservation of Lepidopterous La.rv^. 83 



left to the operator. Care should be taken that the hinder pro-legs are 

 well distended, as a great deal of the beauty of the larva depends on 

 the full inflation of these legs. If the inflation appears natural, intro- 

 duce the larva horizontally into the oven, and twirl the tube round 

 and round during the process of drying, which takes from one-half to 

 two minutes, according to the heat employed, and the thickness of the 

 skin. After cooling, carefully remove the skin from the end of the 

 blow-pipe, using a drop of water to moisten the end, if it should stick 

 to the tube. The larva must then be mounted on a piece of wire 

 covered with silk or green paper, or on twigs of the natural food-plant. 

 Wire is preferred for many larvae, as it can be easily bent to fit the 

 legs. In many of the Geometrce the skin takes a semi-looped position, 

 so that it is sufficient to attach it by its hinder pairs of legs. With 

 regard to means for making caterpillars dry in a looped position, I 

 cannot say anything, as I have not had a good opportunity for trying 

 any of them. 



I must, in conclusion, say a few words on a form of apparatus 

 described in the Entomologist for last September, which is well 

 adapted for those whose lungs are not in sufficiently good order, or who 

 are otherwise incapacitated from keeping up a full blast of air. It 

 consists of a wide-mouthed bottle, fitted with a cork, through which 

 pass two tubes — one communicating with the blow-pipe, the other with 

 an India-rubber ball or pair of bellows ; at the bottom of the last tube 

 is a valve of oiled silk, which prevents any return of air along this 

 tube. Air forced into the bottle escapes so slowly through the blow- 

 pipe, that a constant stream can be sent into the larva with very little 

 trouble. 



My friend Mr. Whitby has had some good results by using fine sand 

 for the inflation of the skin of large larva, e.g. Occellatus. The skin is 

 filled through a glass tube in the shape of a funnel, and the sand is 

 rammed tight with a piece of wood or wire, so as to leave no wrinkles 

 on the surface. The colour is not so much affected by the heat in this 

 manner, as a very slight amount of heat will be sufficient, after a long 

 exposure to it, to dry the skin. 



[i feel sure that if Mr. Ellis will try the method described by me 

 in the Entomologist of October last, he will never again adopt the 

 mouth-blowing process, notwithstanding that his lungs are in the 

 best possible order.-— G. T. Porritt. "] 



