232 



ELEMENTARY STUDIES IN INSECT LIFE 



the pin, and the pin or insect, as the case may be, 

 pushed down until the length of the pin above the body 

 of the insect equals the distance the cork is inserted in 

 the glass tube. Small insects can be pinned by placing 

 on cork or pith and held between fingers or forceps. 

 Insects too small to be mounted in this way can be 

 gummed with any good quality of glue to card-points 



previously placed the proper dis- 

 tance upon pins. These points can 

 be cut with a pair of scissors, from 

 cardboard. Clip diagonally across 

 a strip about a half-inch wide, plac- 

 ing the scissors about one-eighth of 

 an inch from the end of the strip. 

 Do not make the tip pointed, but 

 blunt. The next cut, made straight 

 across the strip, will give the 

 second cardboard triangle, and so 

 on. Place pins through the 

 wide end of the card triangle, 

 a little glue at the apex. Place the insect on across 

 the tip of the card. The glass tube-gauge can be used 

 to locate properly the distance of the card from the top 

 of the pin. Small flies and small lepidoptera are best 

 mounted on fine pin-points located in small oblong 

 pieces of cork or pith. This oblong piece, like the card 

 triangle, is supported at the proper distance from the 

 head of an insect-pin of suitable size. Insects with long 

 bodies, such as dragon-flies and walking-sticks, some- 

 times require a narrow strip of cardboard pinned be- 

 neath them, or a fine wire passed through the body, as 



a. b. 



FIB. 185. a, insect glued 

 on card-point ; b, insect 

 mounted on fine pin-point. 



