COLLECTING AND PRESERVING ORTIIOPTERA. 



39 



PRESERVING THE NATURAL COLORS. Most Orthoptera retain 

 their natural colors after drying, but the green or bright colored 

 ones usually fade to a dull yellow or other hue. This can be pre- 

 vented by placing the specimens, when first captured, in a solu- 

 tion of 10 parts water and one of commercial formalin. If on a 

 long collecting trip, they should be packed closely enough to pre- 

 vent jostling and should be removed, dried and mounted after two 

 or three weeks' stay in the solution. 



PINNING SPECIMENS. In pinning specimens of Orthoptera for 

 the cabinet care should be taken to so locate and pass the pin as 



to hold solidly the insect and 

 at the same time not interfere 

 with its future study. In the 

 locusts, katydids and other 

 jumping forms the pin should 

 be pushed through the right 

 side of the metazona, inclin- 

 ing the point slightly back- 

 ward so that it will pass 

 through the metasternum, 

 thereby holding the body rig- 

 idly in place. In the roaches, 

 mantids, etc., it should be in- 

 serted behind the pronotuiu 

 through the right tegmen near 

 the middle of the body, care 

 being taken not to run it 

 through the base of any leg. After mounting and labelling, the 

 pin should be run through the lid of a pasteboard box, or thin 

 piece of cork placed on supports, far enough for the bottom of the 

 specimen to be brought down to the level of the box cover or cork, 

 the tibiae being folded back under the femora or the legs crossed 

 so as to take up as little room as possible and yet be available for 

 study. One specimen of each species should have the left tegmen 

 and wing spread out and pinned at right angles to the body, so 

 that the veining and color of the inner wing may be studied. 

 The antennae, when long, should be bent back along the sides of 

 the body. The "tray" or lid of specimens should then be placed 

 in a drying cage, which is easily made by screening two sides of 

 a narrow box standing on end with fine mesh wire, thus allowing 

 the ail- to pass through and at the same time preventing the speci- 



Showing manner of pinning 

 Orthoptera, spreading wings, arranging 

 antennie, etc. (After Bruner.) 



