Part 54

These insects usually shelter themselves among the moss and other extraneous matters growing on the trunks or branches of trees, or beneath the rotten bark; these substances should be shut close in a box or tin canister, to prevent the escape of those insects that may be revived by the warmth. To examine them, Donovan recommends spreading a sheet of writing paper on a table, and placing a lamp or candle, with a shade of transparent or oiled paper before you, so as to weaken the glare; separate the moss, and shake it loosely in your hand, and you will perceive many insects fall down on the paper. If they be too minute to admit of a pin being thrust through the thorax, they may be fastened with gum-water to small slips of paper.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FITTING UP A CABINET.

To those who delight in subjects of natural history, a good cabinet of insects is esteemed a valuable acquisition: if it be well constructed, and the several objects arranged with judgment, it certainly exhibits one of the most beautiful and admirable assemblages of objects in nature. Such, however, who are disposed to make a collection sufficiently extensive to form a complete one, will find it necessary to devote a great deal of time to the purpose, as well as to be endued with a considerable share of perseverance and ingenuity; those who are possessed of affluence will find it far less difficult to acquire one. The cabinet, to appear with that elegance which the subject deserves, should be of mahogany, well seasoned, and made by a good workman in such a manner that all the joints may fit with the greatest nicety; the form and size may be according to fancy, or the extent of the collection intended to be made.

To form a cabinet sufficiently capacious to receive specimens of all the English insects hitherto discovered, those excepted which, as before observed, are better preserved in spirits or between sliders, I would recommend one on the following plan:

The height may be about three feet four inches, the width two feet four inches, and the depth one foot four inches, inclosed with folding doors, and provided with a good lock. The inside to be partitioned down the middle, so as to admit of a range of twelve square drawers on each side; under these, two or three drawers may be fitted extending the whole width, to admit the larger kinds of insects, such as the sphinges, cancri, &c. the sides and backs of all these drawers should be of cedar, and the fronts mahogany, with a brass ring or button to each. The cork with which their bottoms are lined, must be chosen as free from cracks as possible, and, after being washed several times with a solution of corrosive sublimate in spirit of wine, to destroy the animalcula, glued on to prevent its warping. The whole surface must be made perfectly smooth and level, and this, as well as the sides, covered with imperial paper carefully pasted on, and afterwards moistened with alum-water. The paper should be exactly ruled into squares proportioned to the size of the insects they are intended to contain; and the names of each order and genus affixed according to the system of Linnæus. By way of embellishment, the edges may be lined all round the drawers with narrow slips of some kind of ornamental paper. The fore-part of each drawer should have a thin partition to admit of a proper quantity of camphor, with a number of small air-holes for the more ready diffusion of its effluvia to the insects contained in the drawer: the tops of these partitions must be closed with thin slips of wood laid on them and fitted with nicety, but not glued. To prevent the admission of dust and air, and exhibit the contents to advantage, the top of each drawer must be glazed with the finest glass, fitted into a frame of the same size as the drawer, made either to slide in a groove, or let in on a rabbet.

Having proceeded thus far, it will be adviseable to let the cabinet be thoroughly aired, before any insects are deposited in it, and to be particularly careful that all the insects so deposited be as free as possible from moisture; if the cabinet be then constantly kept in a dry situation, the camphor occasionally renewed, and the air excluded, there is every reason to expect that the several insects may be for a long time preserved in a state of perfection. If, notwithstanding all these precautions, little dusty particles should appear on any of the insects, which is a certain sign of the presence of animalcula, they should be gently wiped with a hair pencil dipped in spirit of wine, or carefully removed into a chip box and placed on the side of a Bath stove for a short time; by these means, if early attended to, they will be sufficiently baked to prevent future injury. A strict adherence to the above particulars, enabled me to preserve the contents of the cabinet formerly in my possession, now the property of Sir John St. Aubyn, Bart. F. R. & L. S. for several years in the most perfect condition, though containing considerably above 2000 articles. Within the same space of time, to my certain knowledge, several valuable collections have been either totally destroyed, or very materially injured; as when once the depredations commence, the destruction proceeds with rapidity, if not speedily prevented.

Those who are desirous of enriching their collection with the productions of other climes, will require a cabinet much more extensive, or, as the subject may be said to be inexhaustible, may devote several to exotic insects only. The collection made by Mr. Drury being, I believe, the most superb which has ever appeared in this kingdom, it may prove agreeable to many of my readers to give them a concise account of it. It is contained in five large cabinets, and consists of two divisions; first, those found in this country, and, secondly, those procured from various quarters of the globe. The English collection contains 2324 different insects, and the foreign one 5066; total, 7380: the latter comprises of coleoptera, 1716; hemiptera, 676; lepidoptera, 1739; neuroptera, 122; hymenoptera, 472; diptera, 312; aptera, 29. The whole of this magnificent collection is regularly arranged, according to the Linnean system, in 144 drawers. Some of the most beautiful objects in this collection are exhibited and fully described in a work published by Mr. Drury, in three vols. quarto, containing on 150 plates about 700 elegantly coloured specimens.

The climate of Asia is particularly favourable to the production of numerous articles in the several branches of natural history unknown to, or not natives of Europe; especially those of the lepidoptera order of insects, numbers of which are remarkably large, and exhibit a variety of the most beautiful colours. This induces gentlemen, previous to their departure for India, to furnish themselves with cabinets at a considerable expense, anticipating the satisfaction they shall enjoy during their residence there, in arranging and depositing therein the several articles they purpose collecting, and entertaining their friends with a view of them. Besides this, they receive commissions from their European friends to collect and remit to them as many as they can, neither party conceiving that this would be attended with any considerable degree of trouble or inconvenience. It may, therefore, not be amiss to introduce here what the Rev. Mr. John, one of the Danish missionaries at Tranquebar, says on the subject.[168] “The rainy season is in the highest degree injurious to collections in every part of natural history, shells and minerals excepted. To obtain a permanent cabinet, if not impossible, is at least very difficult and expensive. Insects, unless carefully preserved in close cases, well secured from the accession of the smallest particle of air, are soon covered with mouldiness; nor are dried fish, stuffed birds, skins of animals, plants, &c. exempted from this inconvenience; if not frequently exposed to the rays of the sun or dried in ovens, myriads of animalcula in a short time form a settlement and inevitably destroy them. All the cabinets received from Europe, lined in the accustomed manner with cork or deal, are here on this account totally useless, besides their being soon disjointed by the heat of the climate. Sail cloth, well pitched and extended on frames, is far better calculated to answer the purpose; a number of these may be placed one above another, at a convenient distance, and the whole supported on light feet: to render them more pleasant to the eye, the linen may be covered as most agreeable either with white or coloured paper. Even the echini, and the smaller marine plants, attract so much dampness as to lose their colours and spiculæ, and fall to pieces, especially if they have not for some time been previously soaked in fresh water, in order to deprive them of their saline particles. Stuffed birds, &c. lose their feathers or hair, and the more soft and tender parts fall off. Consequently, if no ships go from hence during the month of October, but are detained till February, the major part of what I have collected for such of my friends in Europe who are admirers of the wonderful works of the Creator, will be lost to myself and them, besides subjecting me to the imputation of a want of attention and gratitude for favours previously received, than which nothing can be farther from my heart.”

[168] Neuere Geschichte der Missions Anstalten. 48 stück. Halle 1796.

The above remarks, it is hoped, will afford some useful hints to gentlemen intending to visit India; as well as plead in justification of those who, unacquainted with the difficulty of preserving collections in so warm a climate, have previous to their departure precipitately made promises to their friends, which for want of being realized, have too frequently exposed them to unmerited censure.

A COPIOUS LIST OF MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS.

In the introductory part to our author’s list of objects in Chap. X. he very justly observes, that from the nature of the subject the list must be very imperfect, &c. it is not with the vain idea of rendering that complete which he has left imperfect, and which indeed must ever remain so, that the following general list is introduced; but principally with the view of still farther assisting the tyro, and pointing out a variety of articles, that might not otherwise so readily occur to him. In most instances, I have mentioned where the objects may be sought for with a probability of success; to have described them would have exceeded my limits. The specimen here given, will convince the reader, that it would be no very difficult task, so to enlarge this list, as to constitute a volume; but, it is presumed, that in its present state it will be found sufficiently extensive, and of considerable utility. To those who are already conversant with the subject, it may prove acceptable as a kind of index to assist their memories; and to such as may be disposed to form a cabinet, it will serve the purposes of directing them in their choice of the principal objects, and exhibiting some idea of the manner in which they are to be arranged.

I. ANIMALS, AND THEIR PARTS.

THE HUMAN SPECIES, QUADRUPEDS, &C.

The human hair

Horse hair

Hog’s bristles

Mouse hair

Smellers of cats, tygers, &c.

Cuticle, or scarf skin of the human body

The skin itself

Membrana adiposa

Muscular fibres

Nerves

Arteries and veins

Intestines or guts

Lacteals

Lympha ducts

Lungs

Liver

Pancreas, &c.

Brain

Eye, its coats, humours, &c.

Nose, its ossa spongiosa, &c.

Ear, its hair, wax, tympanum, &c.

Tongue, its fibres, nervous papillæ, &c.

Blood, its globules, circulation, &c.

Nails and hoofs in thin slices

Bones, &c. &c.

OBJECTS PECULIAR TO BIRDS.

Feathers and their plumage

Pith of ditto cut transversely

Red combs and gills of cocks

Scaly skin of the legs

Web or membrane of waterfowl

Fleshy fibres, particularly the gizzard

Eggs, their beautiful teints

Coloured iris of the eye in some, &c.

The breast bones and scapulæ of small birds; to which may be added,

The membranaceous wings of the bat

OBJECTS PECULIAR TO FISHES.

Many of these exhibit most beautiful objects, from the elegant variety of the colours and teints of their skins and scales

Their spines

Fins

Fleshy fibres

Sperm or hard roe

Teeth

Brain

Eye, its iris

Lungs and other viscera

Gills

Circulation of the blood in the fins and tails of small fishes

Shells of most kind of shell-fish

Fimbriæ or fringed extremities of shells, &c.

INSECTS.

1. _Coleoptera._

The entire insect if not too large

The head

Antennæ

Wings

Elytra

Legs, &c.

Scarabæus auratus, rose-chaffer; on flowers

Dermestes domesticus, the death-watch of Geoffroy

Dermestes pulicaris, flea beetle; on flowers

Ptinus pectinicornis; in old trunks of willows

Ptinus fur; very destructive in cabinets

Ptinus fatidicus (Shaw) death-watch, see page 688.

Gyrinus natator, water-flea

Byrrhus scrophularia; on flowers

Silpha pustulata; on trees

Silpha aquatica

Silpha pulicaria; frequently running on flowers

Cassida viridis on verticillated plants and thistles

Cassida nebulosa; on thistles

Cassida nobilis

Coccinella, 2 punctata; on alder and other trees

Coccinella, 5 punct. in gardens

Coccinella, 7 punct. lady-cow or lady-bird

Coccinella, 9 punct. on trees

Coccinella, 14 punct.

Coccinella, 16 punct.

Coccinella, 22 punct.

Coccinella, 14 guttata; in woods

Coccinella, 2 pustulata; on trees and flowers

Chrysomela tanaceti; on tansy

Chrysomela alni; on common alder

Chrysomela betulæ; on birch trees

Chrysomela polygoni; on grass

Chrysomela polita; on willows

Chrysomela populi; on poplar trees

Chrysomela sanguinolenta; in woods

Chrysomela hyoscyami; on henbane

Chrysomela exsoleta; in gardens

Chrysomela 12 punctata; } on

Chrysomela asparagi; } asparagus

Curculio cyaneus; on willows

Curculio cerasi; on black cherry trees

Curculio pruni; on cherry trees

Curculio acridulus; on plants of the genus tetradynamia

Curculio granarius, weevil

Curculio dorsalis; on the lesser celandine

Curculio pini; on Scotch fir

Curculio lapathi; on docks, particularly water dock

Curculio scaber; on nettles

Curculio quercus; on leaves of oak

Curculio viscariæ; on lychnis viscaria

Curculio pericarpius; on fig-wort

Curculio betulæ; on birch and alder

Curculio beccabungæ; on veronica beccabunga

Curculio alni; on leaves of alder

Curculio fagi; on beech trees

Curculio pomorum; on apple trees

Curculio nucum; in hazel nuts

Curculio scrophulariæ; on fig-wort

Curculio tortrix; in the twisted leaves of poplars

Curculio pyri; on pear trees

Curculio argentatus; in gardens

Cerambyx moschatus;[169] on willows, roses, &c.

Lampyris noctiluca; glowworm

Cantharis ænea; on flowers

Elater castaneus; on the bark of trees in woods

Elater sanguineus; on the bark of trees

Cicindela riparia; } on wet

Cicindela aquatica; } sandy ground

Dytiscus cinereus; } water

Dytiscus sulcatus; }

Carabus granulatus; in fields near London

Carabus crepitans; under stones

Carabus 6 punctatus; on sand near brooks

Carabus 4 maculatus; on sandy banks of rivers

Mordella aculeata; on flowers

Staphylinus murinus; on horse-dung

Staphylinus riparius; on wet sand

Staphylinus chrysomelinus; on sand and near walls

Forficula auricularia, earwig

Forficula minor, small ditto

[169] I have caught great numbers of these on white rose trees and rasp-berry bushes, in the vicinity of London; their smell has to me always appeared approaching nearer to that of oil of rhodium than of musk.

2. _Hemiptera._

Parts to be viewed the same as the Coleoptera

Blatta orientalis; in bakehouses and near chimnies

Gryllo-talpa, mole-cricket; chiefly under ground

Gryllus domesticus, house-cricket

Gryllus campestris; under ground

Gryllus grossus, common grass-hopper

Gryllus verrucivorus, great green grass-hopper

Cicada cornuta; on trees, &c.

Cicada spumaria, black-headed frog-hopper, cuckow-spit, or froth-worm; in froth on sundry plants

Cicada viridis; on water plants

Cicada ulmi; on elms

Cicada rosæ; on rose trees

Notonecta glauca, common boat-fly; swims on its back in smooth water

Notonecta striata, brown boat-fly; on water

Notonecta minutissima, little boat-fly; swims on its back

Nepa cinerea, water scorpion; on water

Nepa cimicoides; on water

Nepa linearis; on stagnant water

Cimex lectularius, bed bug

Cimex scaraboides; on flowers in meadows

Cimex corticalis; on trees

Cimex betulæ; on birch trees

Cimex filicis; on fern

Cimex baccarum; on gooseberry bushes

Cimex personatus; in houses

Cimex hyoscyami, scarlet bug; on henbane

Cimex umbratilis; on flowers

Cimex striatus; in woods near Hampstead

Cimex populi; in woods, particularly on the trunk of the poplar

Cimex abietis; on Scotch fir

Cimex lacustris; runs quick on still water

Cimex stagnorum; on stagnant waters

Aphis ribis, currant louse; on the bushes

Aphis ulmi, elm

Aphis sambuci, elder

Aphis rumicis, dock

Aphis aceosæ, sorrel

Aphis lychnidis, campion

Aphis rosæ, rose

Aphis tiliæ, lime

Aphis brassicæ, cabbage

Aphis sonchi, sow thistle

Aphis cardui, thistle

Aphis tanaceti, tansey

Aphis absinthii, wormwood

Aphis jaceæ, knapeseed

Aphis betulæ, birch

Aphis fagi, beech

Aphis quercus, oak; under the bark

Aphis salicis, willow

Aphis populi, poplar

Aphis aceris, maple; on the leaves

Aphis atriplicis; rolled up in the leaves of the grass-leaved orach

Chermes graminis; on grass

Chermes pyri; on pear trees

Chermes scorbi; on mountain ash

Chermes urticæ; on nettles

Chermes alni; on common alder

Chermes quercus; on leaves of oak

Chermes abietes; on fir

Chermes fraxini; on ash trees

Coccus hesperidum, greenhouse bug; on orange trees

Coccus betulæ; on the divarications of the branches of birch trees

Coccus philarides; on canary grass

Thrips junipera; on bark of old trees

Thrips fasciata; on flowers

Thrips physapus; on dandelion, &c. p. 350.

3. _Lepidoptera._

Their wings, scales, and feathers, tongue or proboscis, head, eyes, antennæ, chrysalides, eggs, legs, &c.

Papilio cardamines, orange tip; in hedge sides

Papilio Io, peacock; in lanes and hedge sides

Papilio Mæra, great Argus or wall; on walls and banks

Papilio galathea, white marbled; in meadow

Papilio cardui, painted lady; on furzes and teazles

Papilio Iris, purple emperor; in woods

Papilio polychtoros, large tortoise-shell; in lanes

Papilio urticæ, small tortoise-shell; on banks

Papilio maturna, heath fritillary; on heaths

Papilio cinxia, glanville or plantain fritillary; meadows

Papilio paphia, silver wash or great fritillary; in woods

Papilio aglaja, dark green fritillary; in woods

Papilio cuphrosyne, pearl border fritillary; in woods

Papilio quercus, purple hair streak; in bushes

Papilio rubi, bramble or green; in woods

Papilio pamphilus, small gate keeper; in meadows

Sphinx ocellata, eyed hawk moth; on willows

Sphinx populi, poplar hawk moth; poplars and willows

Sphinx tiliæ, lime hawk moth; on lime tree bark

Sphinx convolvuli, unicorn hawk moth; in fields where bindweed grows

Sphinx ligustri, privet hawk moth; in privet hedges

Sphinx atropos, jasmine hawk moth, bee-tyger, or death head; in potatoe fields

Sphinx elpenor, elephant moth; on vines, convolvulus, &c.

Sphinx stellatarum, large bee moth, or humming bird; in gardens on flowers

Sphinx filipendulæ, burnet moth; on grass in meadows

Phalæna pavonia, emperor; on osier grounds

Phalæna rubi, fox; near woods

Phalæna pini, pine lappet; on pines

Phalæna vinula, puss; on barks of trees

Phalæna neustria, lacky; thorns

Phalæna caja, great tyger; on banks

Phalæna villica, cream spot tyger; on banks which face the rising sun

Phalæna monacha, black arches; in woods

Phalæna salicis, white sattin; in willow bark

Phalæna zigzag, pebble; ibid.

Phalæna cossus, goat; p. 334

Phalæna libatrix, furbelow

Phalæna jacobææ, cinnabar or pink underwing; commons

Phalæna pronuba, large yellow underwing; in gardens

Phalæna festucæ, gold spot; in ditches near marshes

Phalæna psi, grey dagger; in bark of willows

Phalæna meticulosa, angled shades; on nettles

Phalæna aceris, sycamore tussock; near sycamores

Phalæna exsoleta, sword grass; in marshes

Phalæna oxyacanthæ, Ealing’s glory; in hedges at Ealing

Phalæna pisi, broom, or favourite; in meadows

Phalæna amataria, buff argus; in lanes

Phalæna syringaria, Richmond beauty; in hedges

Phalæna prunaria, orange; in lanes and hedges

Phalæna verticalis, mother of pearl; on nettles

Phalæna evonymella, small ermine; in orchards

Phalæna salicella, rose; gardens

Phalæna sarcitella; frequent in houses

Phalæna granella; in houses and granaries

Phalæna pomonella, codling or apple tree; in orchards

Phalæna didactyla, brown-feathered; among nettles

Phalæna pentadactyla, white-feathered; in woods

Phalæna hexadactyla, many-feathered; on the lonicera, &c.

4. _Neuroptera._

Their wings, head, eyes, antennæ,&c.

Libellula depressa

Libellula Ænea

Libellula grandis

Libellula forcipata

Libellula virgo

Libellula puella

Ephemera vulgata

Ephemera vespertina

Ephemera culiciformis

Ephemera horaria

Ephemera striata

Phryganea bicaudata

Phryganea nebulosa

Phryganea striata

Phryganea rhomboidica

Phryganea flavilatera

Phryganea nigra

Phryganea longicornis

Hemerobius perla, golden eye; on plants, page 206

Hemerobius chrysops

Hemerobius sexpunctatus

Hemerobius formicarum

Panorpa communis; meadows

5. _Hymenoptera._

Wings, sting, proboscis, &c.

Cynips glecomæ; in tubercles on leaves of ground-ivy.

Cynips quercus baccarum; in small tubercles on the under side of oak leaves

Cynips quercus folii; in large tubercles on oak leaves

Cynips quercus petioli; in tubercles on the petiolus of oak leaves

Cynips quercus gemmae; in the large imbricated galls on the extreme buds of oak trees

Tenthredo lutæa; on willow, alder, birch

Tenthredo rustica; on willows

Tenthredo scrophulariæ; on fig-wort

Tenthredo rosæ; on rose trees

Tenthredo cynosbati; on hips

Tenthredo caprææ; on willows

Ichneumon comitator; in wasps nests

Ichneumon manifestator; woods

Ichneumon puparum; in the chrysalides of butterflies

Ichneumon aphidum; breeds in the bodies of aphides

Ichneumon globatus; breeds in white silky balls about one inch long, which are found on different plants in meadows

Ichneumon glomeratus; breeds in the caterpillar of the cabbage butterfly

Ichneumon pectinicornis; in the chrysalides of butterflies

Sphex viatica

Sphex cribraria

Chrysis ignita; in walls

Vespa crabro, hornet; builds in hollow trees

Vespa vulgaris, common wasp

Vespa coarctata, small wasp

Apis centuncularis; builds in old trees

Apis rufa, small field bee

Apis mellitica, common hive bee

Apis manicata; on flowers

Apis conica; builds on the ground

Apis terrestris, humble bee; builds deep in the ground

Apis subterranea, great humble bee

Formica herculeana, horse ant, large

Formica rufa; in gardens

Formica fusca, brown, common ant

Formica nigra, black

Formica rubra, little red ant

6. _Diptera._

Oestrus bovis, breeze or gad fly, see page 294, note

Oestrus hæmorrhoidalis, see page 295, note

Oestrus ovis, grey fly, see page 296, note

Tipula crocata; in meadows

Tipula lunata; ibid.

Tipula cornicina; ibid.

Tipula plumosa, sea tipula, resembles a gnat, and is frequently mistaken for it

Tipula littoralis; on trees

Tipula monilis; in meadows and on windows, &c.

Musca chamæleon, p. 248

Musca morio; in gardens

Musca pyrastri; ibid.

Musca menthastri; flowers

Musca pipiens; on mint, &c.

Musca inanis; on flowers

Musca pellucens; on rose trees

Musca cæsar; in woods and gardens

Musca cadaverina; on flesh

Musca vomitoria, blue flesh fly

Musca carnaria, common flesh fly

Musca domestica, common house fly

Musca cellaris; frequently found dead in wine and vinegar

Musca putris; breeds in cheese and dung

Musca stercoraria; on dung

Musca vibrans; on trees