120 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
LVol. VII, No. 6, 
together over the funnel. The insects falling on the smooth 
surface tumble down into the bottle. Damp wood, leaves, etc., 
should be placed in the bottle for the insects to crawl over. 
Collecting Ix Fixatives. —For fixing the insects in the 
field the collector should be provided with a large number of 
small round bottomed vials filled with the fixative. Two or 
three fine camel’s hair brushes, a large square of white oil cloth 
and a chizel or pick for dislodging bark or decaying wood. 
Pieces of bark, wood, etc., may be pounded together over the 
cloth on which the insects will fall. The tip of the brush is then 
moistened with the fixative and quickly placed over the insect. 
They should be held under the brush until stupified and then 
placed in the fixing agent; the latter process being easily accom¬ 
plished if the brush is sufficiently moistened. The matter of 
proper fixation is very important. Almost all Thysanura are 
impervious to water. Smynthuridae will float about for days or 
even weeks on 75% alcohol, and the addition of a little glycerine 
to 85% alcohol will prevent them from sinking. While 75% 
alcohol will kill the specimens it fails to fix the tissues and they 
soon shrivel and become useless. In working with the Thysa¬ 
nura I have found the following reagents to be the most useful 
both for form and general appearance, as well as internal 
anatomy. 
Glacial Acetic Alcohol: 
Glacial Acetic Acid.1 part 
Absolute Alcohol.1 part 
Corossive Sublimate Saturation. 
For field collecting this is one of the best formulas I have 
used. Specimens are fixed within a few' seconds, but may be 
left in the reagent for several hours without detriment. They 
may be preserved indefinitely in 85% alcohol, or gradually 
transferred to pure gylcerine as follow's: Place the specimens in 
a stentor dish, and add glycerine from one side. After a con¬ 
siderable amount of glycerine has been diffused through the 
reagent the cover should be removed from the dish and the 
glacial acetic and the alcohol allow'ed to evaporate. 
Acetic-Glycerine Fixing Agent: 
Glacial Acetic Acid.10 parts 
Glycerine.1 to 4 parts 
Corrosive Sublimate Saturation. 
Possibly better results may be obtained, especially as to pre¬ 
serving the color by the use of this reagent. Specimens w r ill 
be properlv fixed in a few minutes, but may be left in the solution 
for some time. On exposure to the air evaporation of the glacial 
acetic takes place leaving only the glycerine. After this has 
