WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
“ EXTOM A. aUIDQUID AGENT NOSTRI EST FARRAGO LIBELLI.” 
No. 1 .— Yol. 2.] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1863. [Price 2 d . 
MITES. 
0 0XvXD5 tirao ago we received a 
^ very instructive letter from a 
correspondent on the subject of mites- 
Unfortunately for our readers he de- 
clined to permit us to publish it. As, 
however, it contains valuable sugges- 
tions we hope he will pardon us, if we 
embody the information contained 
in it, in this article. 
Our correspondent relates how he 
lost the whole results of his first three 
years’ labour “ from the attacks of 
this destructive creature for” he tells 
us, “although I immersed many 
specimens in Benzine, I did not feel 
enough confidence in its effects to 
place more than a few of the choicest 
specimens in a first class cabinet which 
1 soon afterwards had made, — and 
then only after a full twelve-month’s 
quarantine.” All through the letter 
it is evident that its writer feels very 
“shaky” about the efficacy of Ben- 
zine. Surely this doubt might be set 
at rest. Is there no-one among our 
readers who has so carefully tested 
the system as to be able to tell us 
decidedly “yes,” or “ no,”— and to 
confirm his decision of the question 
by proofs? It is an important point, 
as we fancy, if the collections of 
British Entomologists were examined, 
not one quarter would he found free 
from mites. 
Our correspondent next remarks on 
the time required to bring the egg of 
the mite, to the full grown animal, 
commencing however, by saying “ I 
am ignorant of the time.” He tells 
us that in some cases mites have first 
made their appearance on an insect in 
quarantine, when it has been so sep- 
arated, for as much as three months. 
Have we no student of the Acari 
among our readers who could give us 
some information on this point? 
Does the egg of the mite lie unhatched 
for different periods according to cir - 
cumstances, or has it a fixed dur- 
ation ? 
The writer of the letter alluded to, 
then gives us some notes on the best 
preventitive, in a cabinet, from this 
pest saying that he considers camphor 
and Tobacco smoke wholly useless. 
Buffon’s Exterminator “next comes 
under notice, as being a valuable 
weapon, but uncertain in its effects. 
Two instances are cited, — one of a 
collection of Bird’s eggs, where it 
proved effectual, and one, of the par- 
ticulars of which we are not informed, 
where it failed. Our correspondent, 
