HOW TO SET LRPIDOPTERA. 35 



"Take the largest pin you can find, if with a gigantic head so much 

 the better; thrust it hnp-hazard into the body of the insect, then pin it 

 to a piece of cork, push up the right-hand wing half an inch, the left 

 a quarter ditto; the abdomen may turn either to the right or left, and 

 the antennas should stretch out straight from the head, or lie above or 

 below the insect." 



Now assuming for the moment, that this plan, however simple, is any- 

 thing but pleasing to the eye, I venture to suggest to the inexperienced, 

 as the result of many years trial, the following method, requesting them 

 at the same time to bear in mind that I do not assert it to be the 

 best — only better than that which they have been in the habit of adopting. 



Get a board of soft deal, (fig. 1, A A A A,) a foot or somewhat more 

 in length, and about three inches in breadth. In the middle make a 

 groove, B B, one third of an inch in depth, and a quarter of an inch in 

 breadth. Glue a thin layer of cork on the bottom of the groove. 

 Commencing then at the edge of the groove, plane each side of the 



FIG.5L. 



FIG.3. 



3-:^-^. 



:_J 



board until it assumes the form in figure 2, taking the greatest care 

 that each side exactly corresponds.* Suppose now you have a specimen, 

 say of L. turca; hold it underneath with the fore-finger and thumb, 

 pressing up the wings, until their apices nearly touch; then take the pin, 

 insert it exactly in the centre of the thorax, (C,) the head of the pin 

 sloping slightly forwards towards the head of the insect. The point of 

 the pin should emerge at the juncture of the legs. The pin should be 

 clear of the moth on the under side, at least one fifth of an inch: fix 

 the moth now in the groove. There should be a slight space between the 

 moth and each side of the groove. Push in the pin until the wings are 

 nearly, not quite level with the board. Then move up the fore wing to 

 the required height, and having a little slip of paper on the moistened 

 tip of the middle finger of the left hand, hold the wing with it by the apex 

 in this position; then take in the other hand a pin, (D,) and insert it in 

 the board, as in the figure, and press it gently down till it holds the 

 wiug firm. Pursue the same method with the other side. By this means 



* If preferred, the board may be rounded, as in figure 3. 



