214 THE QUERIST. 



from you for information as to some mode of taking the impression of the wings of Butterflies, 

 I beg to give you the particulars of a very simple method I have adopted, with moderate 

 success, for the last twelve years. I use any ordinary smooth-surfaced letter paper to take the 

 impression on; I then keep ready prepared some of the cleai'est gum-arabic in solution. All 

 the implements I use are a pair of fine-pointed scissors, a pair of fine-pointed pincers, and a 

 piece of flat transparent hom, (the side of an old lantern.) As soon as I have caught my 

 Butterflies or Moths I kill them, to prevent the least loss of down; I then cut off the wings 

 close to the body and lay them on a piece of paper beside me, when, having various sizes of 

 paper ready cut, I select a piece as large as necessary, and give it a single coat, (but only 

 over as much space as the wings are likely to cover,) of clear gum. I then immediately proceed 

 to arrange the wings, outside downwards, on the wet gum, taking care to place them at once 

 in their proper position, as it will not do to move them after they have once touched the gum : 

 in handling the wings I use the pincers entirely. As soon as the wings are arranged, the 

 upper ones first, and the under ones lapping over them as they do in nature, I place the flat 

 horn on them and press them with my thumb or finger for a few seconds, but not long 

 enough to allow the paper to stick too close to the horn. I then remove the horn, bend the 

 paper a little back, when the wings will in most cases spring off' the paper, but perfectly bare 

 on that side, having left all the down on the paper. When dry I remove the gum with a 

 brush and clear water wherever it shows beyond the impression, so that the paper may look 

 clean: preserve the body to be copied in with a paint brush afterwards. I use horn to press 

 with for several reasons; — it can be wiped clean between every operation; — you can see if the 

 wings are lying smooth whilst pressing, and it will not break with pressure. If I take off 

 a white specimen I use slightly tinted paper instead of white, that the impression may be seen. 

 Large specimens are best left dead for two or three days to allow the juices to dry, else, when 

 pressing, a yellow liquid will squeeze out and soil the paper. Specimens that have been dead 

 for some weeks will not answer, as the down becomes so dried on to the wing that it will not 

 come off. Old specimens from a collection I can never succeed with. You will remark that 

 the colours and markings arc not so bright as in the original, because the portion exposed to 

 view is not the original surface, but the underneath of the down which is fixed to the wing. 

 I enclose you a specimen which has been done for three or four years, the body, and in fact 

 every thing but the wings, is painted. If this proves any use to you I shall be very glad, 

 as I have derived so much pleasure from j'our three works on "Birds," "Eggs," and "Butterflies," 

 that I consider I am only repaying a debt of gratitude by endeavouring to afford you any 

 information. — Akthur Havers, Tenterden, Kent, in a letter to the Eev. F. 0. Morris, July 

 Ist., 1854. 



The following method of taking impressions of Butterflies has been practised with much 

 success: — Cut off the wings of a Butterfly, and lay them upon clear paper, in the form of the 

 insect when flying. Spread some clear thick gum-water on another piece of paper, and press 

 it on the wing; the little coloured downy substance will adhere to it; then lay a piece of 

 white paper upon the top of the gummed paper, and rub it gently with your finger, or the 

 smooth handle of a knife. A perfect impression of the wings will thus be taken. The body 

 must be drawn and painted in the space between the wings. I cannot conclude without 

 thanking you for the pleasure which I, in company with every lover of natural objects, derive 

 from your beautiful works on "Birds," "Butterflies," and "Eggs," the latter are especially 

 beautiful, and quite indispensable to every oologist. — H. Smuhthwaite, Frenchgate, Richmond, 

 Yorkshire, in a letter to the Eev. F. 0. Morris, July 8th., 1854. 



In answer to your query in "The Naturalist," for this month, I have taken several objects 

 by means of albuminized paper; I saw a specimen taken from the weed itself, Ptilota plumosa, 

 it is a negative and can be easily printed from: please return it. Wings of Butterflies and 

 Moths can be equally easily taken. I use albuminized paper, which is _to be washed over with 

 a solution of nitrate of silver, thirty grains to the ounce; it is then dried and the object to be 

 copied is laid on it and exposed for a few moments in a pressure frame. I obtained every 

 thing necessary from Home, Thornthwaite, and Wood, 123, Newgate Street, London. If you 

 write to them they will send you their book on "Photography," price one shilling, which 

 explains the subject very well. — William Thompson, Weymouth, in a letter to the Rev. F, 

 0. Morris, July 3rd., 1854. 



