92 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
of minute Pselaphidae I also found half 
buried in the sand, or vainly endeavouring 
to crawl on what to them w'as a rough 
shingle. — Thomas Linnell, Redstone 
Wood, near Reigate ; June 13. 
Killing Insects. — I must returu to 
the charge, on the subject of cyanide of 
potassium as a means of killing insects ; 
but first to refute the objection of its 
danger. It is already in the hands of 
every dabbler in photography, and will 
not therefore be new’ to many ; it is also, 
if anything, less dangerous than oxalic 
acid, so generally employed. The smell 
is pungent, and to many offensive; oxalic 
acid has none; chloroform is so seductive 
that I often myself take a good gulp of 
its vapour, and I can fancy the shivering 
delight of many a youngster who might 
try it. There is another substitute, to- 
bacco smoke, very good for Tineas and 
small Geometric, experto crede, and in 
the interval between the daily and twi- 
light work it is pleasant to think one’s 
inhalation of the tabooed nicotiana is pro- 
ductive as well as soothing ; it has the 
peculiar advantage of not stiffening the 
corpses, which cyanide and chloroform 
do most effectually. I recommend, there- 
fore, that Noctuae and manageable Geo- 
metrae be killed by cyanide and tartaric 
acid in solution, and then double killed 
by oxalic acid ; this will render them 
setable at once. Tineae, I believe, are 
never better than when killed by tobacco 
smoke puffed in the boxes or tubes. At 
home I should prefer immersing the 
glass tube in hot water for a second or 
two ; but when all your boxes are filled, 
and evening is drawing on in a fine 
locality far from home, tobacco is a magni- 
ficent pis aller ! By cementing up one’s 
pill-boxes with a spirit varnish the pro- 
cess of killing and relaxing may be com- 
bined ; the insects put in at night will be 
fit for setting in the morning. Finally, 
in respect to beetles, a tube corked at 
both ends with a small pledget of wool 
moistened with cyanide in the centre will 
kill every denizen instanter, and will also 
preserve him relaxed and without putri- 
fying for at least two months. The larger 
beetle-bottles may be lined with blotting- 
paper similarly moistened. Whoever has 
seen the desperate struggles made by a 
crowd of wretches to escape from what 
must be to them a fearful “ black hole of 
Calcutta” will employ this or similar 
means, on the score of humanity and 
expediency. — W. D. Crotch, Uphill 
House , Weston-super-Mare ; May 24. 
[Why adopt any such methods when 
laurel-leaves for Lepidoptera, and the 
same or hot water for Coleoptera are 
amply sufficient?] 
THE BRITISH TORTRICES. 
To the Editor of the ‘ Intelligencer.' 
Sir, — Apologising for the unintentional 
omission of the habitat, &c., of Dicro- 
rampha alpinana , as referred to in the 
‘ Intelligencer’ of the 28th ultimo, p. 72, 
I beg now to repair it. 
The said species is uncommon and 
somewhat variable ; it resembles D. Peti- 
verella, sequana and polilana in general 
appearance, but is larger than either ; it 
may be distinguished from all by the less 
distinctly defined posterior edge of the 
dorsal blotch. 
It has occurred in July and August at 
Charlton, on the hill-side, near the main 
road at the sand-pits; on the Downs at 
Stoat Nest and Godstone lload, beyond 
Croydon; at Brislington, &c. 
Larva unknown. 
I remain, sir, 
Your obedient servant, 
S. J. Wilkinson. 
7, Jeffrey's Square , 
St. Mary Axe, London, E.C. ; 
June 1, 1859. 
