PRESERVING INSECTS. 



235 



FIG. 2 J7. Setting-board. 



a little towards the groove for the reception of the insect, 

 as the wings often gather a little moisture, relax and fall 

 down after the insect is dried. " For the proper setting of 

 insects with broad and flattened wings, such as butterflies 

 and moths, a spreading board or stretcher is necessary. 

 One that is simple and answers every purpose is shown at 

 Fig. 267. It may be made of two pieces of thin white-wood 

 or pine board, fastened to- 

 gether by braces, especially 

 at the ends, and left wide 

 enough apart to admit the 

 bodies of the insects to be 

 spread: strips of cork or 

 pith, in which to fasten the 

 pins, may then be tacked 

 or glued below so as to cover 

 the intervening space. The 

 braces must be deep enough 

 to prevent the pins from touching anything on which the 

 stretcher may be laid; and, by attaching a ring or loop to 

 one of them, the stretcher may be hung against a wall, out 

 of the way. For ordinary-sized specimens I use boards 2 

 feet long, 3 inches wide, and ^ inch thick, with three braces 

 (one in the middle and one at each end) 1 inches deep at 

 the ends, but narrowing from each end to 1^ inches at the 

 middle. This slight rising from the middle is to counter- 

 act the tendency of the wings, however well dried, to drop 

 a little after the insect is placed in the cabinet. The wings 

 are held in position by means of strips of paper (Fig. 267) 

 until dry." (Riley.) Others use strips of stiff, smooth 

 cloth. 



Moths of medium size should remain two or three days 

 on the setting-board, while the larger thick-bodied sphinges 

 and Bombycidae require a week to dry. The wings can be 

 arranged by means of a needle stuck into a handle of 

 wood. They should be set horizontally, and the front 

 margin of the fore wings drawn a little forward of a 



