THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
15 
and now, in these digging days, every 
little scrap of intelligence respecting the 
size and shape of pupa, the place in 
which it generally deposits itself, whether 
it be one which ordinarily is to be met 
with at the trunk or in the crevices of 
the bark of the trees it feeds upon, or 
whether its habits are such as to in- 
volve the still more mysterious pro- 
cess of ‘raking’ before it can be ob- 
tained ; all these little facts will be very 
welcome.” 
I have no doubt that such information 
as is here asked for would be found very 
serviceable to many a pupa-digger, but 
certainly the limits of space would pre- 
vent the introduction of such matter into 
the pages of the forthcoming volume of 
the ‘Manual;’ besides I have no expe- 
rience as a pupa-digger, and such infor- 
mation would come much better direct 
from some successful trowel-plyer. Why 
should not some practical operator give 
a series of communications to the ‘ Intel- 
ligencer’ on that important subject? — 
H. T. Stainton ; Sept. 25. 
PRESERVING DRAGON-FLIES. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ‘INTELLI- 
GENCER.’ 
Sir, — I have been trying Dr. Hagen’s 
plan for preserving the colours in the 
bodies of dragon-flies, but either from a 
defect in the method itself or from some 
clumsiness on my part, I have as yet 
signally failed. In the first place, I found 
it no easy matter to pass a thread stout 
enough to be of service through the deli- 
cate body of the insect without tearing it 
to pieces, and after the operation I have 
found the colours go off nearly as much 
as before. 
I am much impressed with a sense of 
the importance of discovering some easy 
method for preserving the colours of these 
beautiful insects in their integrity, as I 
am sure they would be much more prized 
than they are, if such a method could be 
devised. I am not much associated with 
collectors, and therefore cannot tell how 
the result is usually obtained ; but it ap- 
pears that the one stated above, and the 
old plan of disemboweling are the only 
methods in use, and, from my experience, 
very unsatisfactory. 
Dr. Hagen, I know, recommends catch- 
ing the insects before they have gratified 
their carnivorous propensities, — a feat 
which he seems to think by no means 
difficult; but surely the doctor must 
think that entomologists are all men of 
capital, and have nothing to do but be 
ever “ on the wing,” watching for the 
escapement from his watery home some 
gorgeous member of this order, and 
boxing him ere he has had time to get 
his breakfast. I must say that my ex- 
perience of entomologists is rather dif- 
ferent, and it leads me to the conclusion 
that they must catch insects when they 
can get them, and consequently, if we 
cannot hit upon some better plan of pre- 
servation, we must be content to have 
our specimens of Neuroptera black, and 
brown, and dingy. 
But is it impossible to remedy the 
evil? Are none of your correspondents 
in possession of a secret which they would 
divulge for the special behalf of Neurop- 
terists, and thus facilitate the study of 
this most interesting order, — for inte- 
resting it certainly is? For my own 
part, when I see the dragon-fly skimming 
the pool, or quivering in the bright beams 
of a July sun, I think that Nature has 
not a sight of more genuine beauty to 
present her fondest admirers. 
Yours, &c., 
Camberwell, 
September 15, 1857. 
C. D. S. 
