13 
characteristic of both sexes ? And is it habitual or 
exceptional ? 
3. Are there any species of mosquitoes in which the 
male sucks blood like the female ? If so, which ? 
Transmission of Specimens to Engrland, 
Pinned specimens of mosquitoes, like those of other 
insects, rapidly develop mould during the rainy season in 
tropical countries, and since mouldy specimens are practi- 
cally worthless for purposes of scientific determination, the 
insects should be sent home as soon as possible after being 
collected. To contain the specimens, if a proper entomo- 
logical store-box is not available, any small strongly-made 
box (such as a cigar-box) will serve, in the bottom of which 
a layer of cork-carpet or pith (not less than half an inch 
thick, in the case of the latter) is firmly fixed. The greatest 
care must be taken to prevent specimens getting loose and 
rolling about in transit, since in this way a single loose disc 
might easily destroy or hopelessly damage all the other 
specimens in the box. To prevent this the pins supporting 
the cards should be inserted as tightly as possible into the 
cork-carpet or pith, and they should all be driven in to the 
same level ; if this is done a sheet of soft paper (newspaper 
does very well) can be fixed into the box, resting on the 
heads* of the supporting pins, in order to minimise the 
damage should a disc happen to get loose. The box con- 
taining the specimens should be well wi-apped in cotton- 
wool, or similar material, and firmly packed in an outer box 
for transmission (by Parcel Post) to England. 
N.B.— Not only Mosquitoes, but all Diptera should 
be Collected, Prepared, and sent Home in the 
Manner above Described. 
The above instructions, though drawn up with special 
reference to mosquitoes, are equally applicable to the col- 
lecting of Diptera in general, except that in the case of the 
