pages of text, giving descriptions of species, a glossary, and indices; the second volume contains one hundred and fiftyseven plates, representing over two thousand colored figures. The whole work embraces nearly thirteen hundred species. The price (ten dollars) is remarkably low, when we consider the expensiveness of the colored plates. The work may be obtained of the author at Bethlehem, Pa.

ENTOMOLOGY.

Singular Adaptation in Nest-Making by an Ant, Cremastogaster lineolata2 Say.—A month ago I received an ant's nest, sent by Assistant Engineer Henry A. Brown to General W. G. Lewis, of Goldsboro', N. C. The nest was built several feet from the ground on a bush, in the marshes bordering Broad Creek, Hyde County, N. C.

This ant usually nests" under stones or underneath and within the decayed matter of old logs and stumps. This material is sometimes prepared by the ant as a paper-like pulp, and arranged into cells and chambers, which are attached to the surface of the logs." 3

This nest is about eighteen inches long by twelve inches in circumference at greatest diameter. I made a longitudinal section of it, and had a photograph taken, so as to represent both the external form and internal structure. The ants were alive in the nest when I received it. They were chloroformed before sectioning the nest. I took from the nest about one-fourth pint of adults, pupæ, and larvæ. They were collected in a mass through the chambers within a space four inches in length of the nest. This space is about two-thirds the distance from the lower end. The material composing the cells in this space is lighter in color than the other internal parts. It appeared also in the photograph, as can be seen by looking at the right-hand figure. Probably it will be visible in the photoengravure.

The material used in making the nest seems to be the same used by the ant in making its nest under stones, etc. Beside the woody pulp, a microscopic examination seems to reveal also some portions of dried grass. The nest is supported by the branches of the bush; a vine and some stalks of marsh-grass are fastened in it. Upon the outside the material is of a light gray color, much like that of the nest of the white-faced hornet. In the interior it is darker, in some places almost black. Probably the high tides causing the creek to overflow forced the ants to build their nest above the high-water mark instead of under

This department is edited by Prof. J. H. COMSTOCK, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y., to whom communications, books for notice, etc., should be sent.

2 The ant was determined for me through the kindness of Prof. C. V. Riley. 3 Comstock's Report on Cotton Insects, 1879, p. 188.

stones and within logs. One cannot help thinking that possibly some species of Hymenoptera, which now altogether build elevated nests, once built them near the ground, and being forced for a long time by conditions surrounding them, similar to these, finally acquired that habit permanently.

This would seem more plausible if General Lewis is correct in a fact which he states, that the yellow-jackets along Holly Creek, in Pender County, build nests on the bushes to avoid the tide. I mean to investigate this and see if they are the same species which under ordinary circumstances build nests in the ground. -Geo. F. Atkinson, Univ. of N. C., Chapel Hill, July 7, 1887.

A New Form of Vial for Alcoholic Specimens.-Frequently in Natural History museums it is desirable to display alcoholic specimens in vials placed in a horizontal position. This is true where table-cases are used; but it is more especially so in entomological cabinets, where the insect-boxes are in the form of

drawers. The use of the ordinary vials or insect-tubes in these cases is attended with serious difficulties. It is almost impossible to prevent the leakage of alcohol, and the consequent destruction of the specimens. In addition to this, the curved sides of the vial or tube make the contained specimens appear of very different form from what they really are. A long slender larva will appear to be much thicker than it is, while its length will not be magnified. A student, therefore, who does not remove the specimen from the vial will be misled as to its proportions.

To meet these difficulties I have had made a vial of the form represented in the accompanying figure. The bending of the neck prevents the leakage of the alcohol, and the plain sides prevent the apparent distortion of the specimen.

To fix the vial in place in an entomological cabinet, a white card is fastened to its lower side with liquid glue (the acetic acid and alcohol solution); the card is then trimmed close to the sides of the vial, but is allowed to project a short distance beyond each end. By means of these projections the bottle can be fastened in place with small pins.

The mould for these vials is the property of Cornell Univer

sity, but it is with Whitall, Tatum & Co., New York, of whom the vials may be obtained.-F. H. Comstock.

Synopsis of the Hymenoptera of America North of Mexico. -It is with much pleasure that we call attention to a work by Mr. E. T. Cresson, which bears the above title, and the first part of which has just been published by the American Entomological Society.

The study of the Hymenoptera has been much neglected in this country, notwithstanding the great extent of the order, the wide range of variation in structure presented by it, and the fact that members of it exhibit the most wonderful development of instinctive powers known. This neglect of the order by students generally has been due to the fact that no specialist has heretofore given us a general work by means of which our forms can be determined. But we have now in this synopsis a guide which will enable the student to take up the study of the Hymenoptera and make satisfactory progress. The student who undertakes this work, however, must not expect to find the order as well worked up as are the flowering plants of our Flora, or even the Coleoptera of our Fauna. For, as stated by Cresson, "the greater part of the material collected together in the larger families has been very imperfectly studied, and our knowledge of the characters is very incomplete, so that years of careful study will be necessary before a classification can be produced that will be approximately complete." But this work will do much by the attraction of attention to the order to hasten the day when we shall have a complete classification. And it adds an order to the small list of groups which are available for study by other than specialists.

The

The part published consists chiefly of analytical keys for the determination of the families and genera. Many of these tables are compiled from the special papers of Wesmael, Holmgren,Westwood, Thomson, Taschenberg, Norton, Marshall, André, Mayr, Saunders, Howard, Cameron, Ashmead, and others. second part, which is now in press, will contain a catalogue of the described species and bibliography, as well as a complete index. It is expected that the volume will consist of about 325 pages.

Liquid for Preserving Larvæ.—The following formula for the preparation of a fluid for the preservation of larvæ is given by Mr. Henri Trois (Atti R. Istit. Veneto, (6) tomo iii.).