PRESERVING INSECTS. 241 



taken out, partially dried by exposure to the air, but not so 

 as to be brittle, and these packed in layers in small boxes 

 between soft paper; the boxes should then be carefully 

 closed with gum-paper or paste, so as to exclude all enemies. " 



Lepidoptera and dragon-flies and other soft-bodied in- 

 sects may be well preserved by placing them in square 

 pieces of paper folded into a triangular form with the edges 

 overlapping. Put up thus, multitudes can be packed away 

 in tin boxes, and will bear transportation to any distance. 

 In tropical climates, chests lined with tin should be made to 

 contain the insect-boxes, which can thus be preserved 

 against the ravages of white ants, etc. 



In sending live larvae by mail, they should be inclosed in 

 little tin boxes; and in sending dry specimens, the box should 

 be light and strong, and directions given at the post-office 

 to stamp the box lightly. In sending boxes by express, they 

 should be carefully packed in a larger box having an 

 interspace of two inches, which can be filled in tightly with 

 hay or crumpled bits of paper. Beetles can be wrapped in 

 pieces of soft paper. Labels for alcoholic specimens should 

 consist of parchment, with the locality, date of capture, and 

 name of collector written in ink. A temporary label of firm 

 paper, with the locality, etc., written with a pencil, will 

 last for several years. 



Preservation of Larvae. Alcoholic specimens of insects, 

 in all stages of growth, are very useful. Few collections 

 contain alcoholic specimens of the adult insect. This is 

 a mistake. Many of the most important characters are 

 effaced during the drying process, and for purposes of 

 general study alcoholic specimens, even of bees, Lepidop- 

 tera, Diptera, and dragon-flies, are very necessary. 



Larvae, generally, may be well preserved in vials or bottles 

 of alcohol with rubber corks.* They should first be put 



* Although rubber stoppers are more expensive than the best cork 

 stoppers, they are more durable, and prevent evaporation vastly better; 

 in corking, run an insect-pin down by the cork, allowing it to remain 

 in for a while, thus allowing the air to escape and preventing the 



