THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 63 
one species should: be placed in a single tube containing spirit, 
together with a label bearing name, date; and locality. Fill 
the tube to the top until the liquid arches, and then force the 
cork (which should be a sound, well-fitting one) well and 
tightly in; allow it to dry, and then smear the surface and 
neck with a solution of gum arabec, after which, for a further 
precaution, when the gum has become hard, the cork may be 
coated by dipping it in melted paraffin wax. This will pre- 
vent the spirit, which is exceedingly volatile, from evaporating. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
ArmipALE Branou.—The Hon. Secretary desires us. to: 
announce the affiliation of the Armidale Natural History Club 
with the N.S.W. Naturalists’ Club, The Northern club: will 
now be known: as the Armidale Branch of the N.S.W. 
Naturalists’ Club. This is a good forward movement, and the: ~ 
reciprocal help by communication and exchange, which will 
arise between the parent Club and its new branch, should be of 
great mutual benefit. The affiliation has been arranged to date 
back from August 1, 1906. The names of the members of the 
new branch are as follow:—Mr. W. G. Thomas, president; 
Mr. J. Scholes, vice-president (Minerals) ; Mrs. Li. Ross, vice- 
president (Insects); Mr. A. EK. Hunt, hon. secretary and’ 
treasurer (Birds, Insects, Botany, Minerals); Rev. H. 8. 
Buntine, Mrs. W. S. Thomas, Miss HB. Scholes, Mrs. A. Mallam 
(Minerals), Miss Winchcombe, Miss Hobbs, Mr. J. Newbery” 
(Insects), Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Perrott (Birds, Native Wea; ons, 
and Minerals). 
v 
Swarm or Brettes —On October 24th, 1906, there was a: 
great: swarm of Carabid beetles—Calosoma: schayeri, Hrich., 
both in Sydneyand suburbs. In Hyde Park there were thou- 
sands of these insects: Hundreds were crushed’ under foot, 
while: many, as they crawled along the footpaths, were waylaid’ 
by ants. Schoolboys passing to and fro collected great 
numbers; indeed, they: seemed scarcely able: to pick them up 
fast enough. 
A Croup or Mosquirors.—Simultaneously with the above, 
an enormous cloud of mosquitoes passed over Port Phillip. 
While’ the s.s. Bombala. was lying alongside the wharf at 
Melbourne, and was being painted, a cloud of. mosquitoes closed 
over the steamer, and for a minute or two darkened the atmos- 
phere, thousands of the insects being caught on the wet green 
paint. The Bombala reached Sydney a day or two afterwards, 
with the insects still’ attached to her side, and was visited by, 
many who were curious to see the extraordinary sight. 
