The Capture, Preparation, and Preservation of Specimens 



distance. As a rule, the wings of all specimens should be mounted 

 at a uniform elevation of about seven eighths of an inch above the 

 point of the pin. This is known as the " continental method " of 

 mounting, and is infinitely prefer- 

 able to the old-fashioned "English 

 method," in which the insect was 

 pinned low down upon the pin, so 

 that its wings touched the surface of 

 the box. 



Setting-blocks are most advanta- 

 geously employed in setting small 

 species, especially the Hesperiidcc, 

 the wings of which are refractory. 

 When the insect has been pinned 



FIG. 53. Setting-board designed 

 upon the Setting-board or Setting- by the author. The wings of the 



block, the next step is to set the i nsect are ^ in P lace ty strips of 



r tracing-muslin, such as is used by 



Wings; in the position which they engineers. The grooves at the side 

 are to maintain when the specimen serve to hold the board in place in 



. h the drying-box. (See Fig. 59.) 



is thoroughly dry. This is accom- 

 plished by means of what are known as " setting-needles " 

 (Fig. 56). Setting-needles may be easily made by simply stick- 

 ing ordinary needles into wooden matches from which the tips 

 have been removed. In drawing the wings into position, care 



should be taken to plant the setting-needle 

 behind the strong nervure on the costal 

 margin of the 

 wing; otherwise 

 the wings are lia- 

 ble to be torn and 

 disfigured. The 

 54. Setting-block: rule in setting lep- 

 A, holes to enable the pin i do p tera is to draw 

 to reach to the cork ; C, cork, 



filling groove on the bottom the anterior wing 



of the block ; B, slit to hold f orwa rd in SUCh 

 thread. 



a manner that the 



FIG. 55. Setting-block with 

 butterfly expanded upon it. 



posterior margin of this wing is at right angles to the axis of 

 the body, the axis of the body being a line drawn through the 

 head to the extremity of the abdomen. The hind wing should 

 then be moved forward, its anterior margin lying under the op- 

 posing margin of the front wing. When the wings have thus 



39 



