CO885-(20-21) — Page 130

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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thrust it through the middle of the disc, mount the disc on one of the longer stouter pins (No. 16), and finally, with a pin, arrange the wings so that they project at an angle from the boxly and dispose the legs symmetrically. This latter operation must be performed very gently, and care must be taken that hairs and scales are not rubbed off; as the tissues contract in drying, the legs and wings are very apt to get pulled out of place, and to correct this, the speci- mens should be examined once or twice during the next day or two. If precisely the same data apply to a number of specimens, it will be necessary to label only two or three dises; provided that a small label bearing the same number be attached to every specimen; or else this may be indicated by drawing a pencil line round the whole group on the bottom of the box in which they are ultimately pinned.

PACKING.-Pinned specimens.-The inside of the box into which the insects are to be pinned should first be rubbed with a sponge, or swab of cotton-wool, soaked in a saturated solution of piece of naphthalin in chloroform, mixed with an equal quantity of medical (beechwood) creosote; the mixture being applied until the cork- lining shows through the

paper. This and keep out destructive insects. The specimens should then be process will prevent mould very firmly pinned into the box, and in doing this the supporting pin should be grasped with the forceps below the disc. Then a pin should be placed on each side of each disc, to prevent its swinging round and damaging an adjoining insect. should be driven in until the heads are at a uniform level, after All supporting pins which a sheet of newspaper or other soft paper should be gummed by the edges into the box, in such a way that it will rest on the heads of the pins and minimise the risk of damage to the other specimens in the event of a pin an1 disc coming loose in transit. The box containing the pinnel insects should then be well wrapped in cotton-wool, shavings or moss, and enclosed in a covering wooden or tin box.

Unpinned specimens.-These should be packed in the following manner, immediately after being killed. Take a very small piece of cotton-wool, tease it out into a light web-like mass, put this into a pill-box and so arrange it that it fills about two-thirds of the receptacle. Place the mosquitoes or other small flies care being taken to distribute them evenly, and not too closely, upon the wool, over its surface. A very thin web like layer nay then be placed over the insects, but there must be no pressure upon them, tight parking must be strictly avoided, and unravelled plugs of wool must not be used. Dry rigid specimens cannot be packed in this way. There must be only one layer of insects in each box. drop of medical creosote should be placed on the inside of the lid A single of the pill-box; if too much creosote be used, the specimens will be permanently discoloured, The data should be written, as above, on the outside of the box. The pill-boxes may then be carefully packed in a strong larger box for transmission. When sufficient specimens are available, it is advisable that both methods of pack- ing should be used, and in the case of biting flies, some of each kind should also be preserved in spirit.

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APPARATUS AND GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. The following is a list of the more important apparatus required for general entomological collecting :-

Nets. The most serviceable net for general purposes is that known as the "kite net," the frame of which is in three pieces, the two side pieces being of wood and the top of curved cane; the rigidity of this frame permits of its being used also as a sweeping net. winged insects the bag of the net may be of the ordinary green gauze; but this should be thoroughly soaked before use to get rid of the starch, otherwise the stiff material will damage all delicate insects; tulle baga last much longer and are softer, but they are a good deal more expensive. It is well to have one or two spare net-bags. When out collecting a needle and some cotton should be carried in the satchel in case the net should be torn. For sweeping herbage or beating bushes it is generally advisable to have a bag made of stronger material, with a stout brown holland border. The Y which holds the frame should be of brass, the parts being brazed together and not soldered, for in tropical countries the solder is very apt to give. For collecting in water a metal frame is necessary.

A waterproof satchel, with two compartments, for carrying apparatus in the field.

Glass-bottomed pill-bores.-These are indispensable for bringing home fragile insects or such as have easily detachable scales, eg., moths, mosquitoes, &c. The most useful sizes are 1 inch, 1 inch, 11⁄2 inch and 2 inch diameter.

A brass chloroform-bottle.— Chloroform is especially useful when delicate insects, such as mosquitoes, moths, &c., have been brought home alive in the glass-bottomed boxes, blotting-paper, with a drop or two of chloroform on

A small piece of into each box, and when the insects are stupefied they can all be is inserted rapidly transferred into one killing-bottle without the danger of their damaging each other. The chloroform-bottle is constructed so that the liquid comes out in single drops.

Killing-bottles.-These should be made as follows: Into a wide- mouthed bottle put a layer of plaster of paris, from to an inch deep; cover this with small lumps of cyanide of potassium; then add another quarter-inch layer of dry plaster, and cover the whole with a thin layer of plaster moistened to the consistency of cream. As the chemical union of water with the plaster generates heat, the bottle should be heated by placing it in warm water before the last layer is added; otherwise it is liable to crack. It is advisable to have several such bottles. A large prune- or pickle-jar is the best for home use, and smaller ones for the field; a large glass tube makes a very convenient pocket killing-bottle for smaller insects. If the bottle is used in the field it is essential that it should be three-parts filled with soft, loosely crumpled, absorbent paper (inferior newspaper serves quite well), for not only will this prevent the bottle from "sweating," but it will absorb the juices emitted by many insects, such as some beetles, grasshoppers and cockroaches, and will also prevent the insects from knocking about in the bottle. Delicate insects should not be put into the yanide-bottle in the field, but should be taken home alive in the

Reference :-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH

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