CO885-(20-21) — Page 127

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TO KILL the soft-bodied kinds should be dropped direct into the tube containing the preservative, Those which are permanently attached to the food-plant need only to be removed in situ and placed in the box or envelope. Those which are more active may be killed either with chloroform or cyanide, but the or less liquid must not be allowed to come into contact with the insect or the coverings may be destroyed.

LABELS.-Write the following particulars on each box or package :-

1. Name of food-plant.

2. Locality, not omitting Colony or Protectorate. 3. Date.

4. Name of collector.

FIELD NOTES.-Particulars of the nature and extent of the injury, if any, should be given; but in such cases a reference number should be attached to the label accompanying the specimens.

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SUITABLE LOCALITIES.-Botanical stations are often ductive and many injurious kinds may be found in such places, Nearly all kinds of cultivated plants may be found to harbour these insects. The orange and other kinds of citrus, cotton, rubber, cocoanut and other palins, cocos, &c. Indigenous plants should, however, be searched whenever opportunity arises, as such kinds very often attack other plants when they are brought under cultivation.

ILLUSTRATIONS.-Some of the more typical forms of scale insects mentioned in the short synopsis are given here as a guidance to the collector, but these do not represent all the groups that are mentioned; neither do they represent all the groups which have hitherto been met with in the African continent.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING AND PRESERVING FLEAS,

COLLECTING. Fleas are found on both birds and mammals, Int in order to secure them the hosts must be examined when alive or just freshly killed; for fleas leave their host as soon as it gets coll. Should the host be small, immediately after death it may be placed in a cyanide bottle, or in a small box or tin containing a few drops of chloroform, benzine ar ammonia. The fleas, after a few minutes, will be found dead at the bottom of the receptacle or among the hairs and feathers. They can then be easily picked up with a small moistened paint-brush and transferred at once to the alcohol in the collecting tubes.

In the case of large mainmals and birds the fleas must he searched for by turning back the hair or feathers; and they may be killed by touching them with a brush moistened with spirit, benzine or chloroform.

The following is a convenient plan for securing fleas found on birds-Take a bird's nest immediately the young have left it and place it in a box, preferably one lined with white paper and with a glass top. A certain number of fleas will probably emerge at once from it; but there will be many larvae and pupac still in the nest. These may be reared simply by slightly moistening the west from

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 885

20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO