S-1141001_COMPLETO.pdf

APHORISMATA fNTOMOLOGICA. 27
into the grass beneath or at some little distance. In this way, some
years since, I procured a very large number of splendid specimens of the
Tryphana fimbria, then thought a very rare and valuable insect, and in
"The Naturalist," old series, volume ii., pages 83-4-5, I gave an account
of the whole mode of procedure and its results, recording how, in plain
prose, when divers entomologists adopted the plan, which, as far as I
know, was the invention of Mr. Hugh Beid, of Doncaster, the coppices
resounded again with the "kicks of the sturdy entomologists"—poetically
speaking—"hoAV bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke "
Another means of relaxing specimens, though, in my opinion, by no
means so effective as that hereinbefore described, is by means of bruised
laurel leaves. The following is the method adopted, as given in the
"Zoologist," pages 1343-44:—
Mr. J. W Douglas, of 6, Grenville Terrace, Coburg Eoad, Kent
Eoad, London, writes, "A quantity of laurel leaves, (thirty or forty,)
is much bruised, put into a bag, and enclosed in an air-tight vessel;
on the bag are placed the insects wished to be relaxed, and they become
flexible in a few hours, more or less, according to their size. The ad­
vantages of this system are, that the insects may be left for any length
of time without getting mouldy, and that moths of a green colour or
delicate texture may be operated upon without injury, none of which
were '"possible on the old plan. It is somewhat singular that this
relaxing effect should be produced by laurel leaves, which contain a large
amount of prussic acid, because if an insect be killed by that poison,
its membranes become intensely rigid."
In the following article, Mr. Samuel Stevens, of 38, King Street,
Covent Garden, London, says in like manner, "Through the kindness
of Mr. Dale, I have been informed of a most excellent method of
relaxing Lepidoptera and other insects, and having adopted it lately,
and finding it answer uncommonly well, I think it will be a great
benefit to entomologists to make the plan generally known. I procure
about a dozen shoots Avith the leaves of the common laurel, the younger
the better, put them into a coarse bag or cloth, (a shot-bag I use,)
bruise them Avell with a Avooden mallet till the bag becomes quite
moist, then put it into a jar or other wide-mouthed glass vessel, and
stick the insects on the top of the bag, which must be tied over or
secured in some] way, so that it be made perfectly air-tight. Twenty-
four hours are generally sufficient to relax most insects, but one great
advantage is, that if they remain a week or ten days in the laurel
h