276 ON COMMENCING A COLLECTION OF LEPIDOPTERA. 



pin easily to pierce them of the following form : — 



4 



Front. Section of No. 1.— Side view. 



No. 4, a groove running front to back, varying in depth according to 

 the size of the body of the moth capable of being set on the shape. 



4 



No. 3. 



Upper surface. 



Having fixed your fly on the pin, stick it into the groove, (No. 4,) with 

 the insect's head towards the flat side or front, (No. 1,) the body of the 

 moth lying in the groove to keep it straight, so that the wings may be 

 just level with the surface of the wood, and far enough back to allow of 

 the wings coming well forward; then draw one wing down with a fine thread, 

 and holding the thread fast with the finger and thumb, place it in its proper 

 position, then proceed in a similar way with the other wing; then cover 

 up the fly with pieces of silver paper, to prevent the threads, next to be 

 bound tightly round, from marking the fly, which they are apt to do if 

 this precaution is not used; then wind your thread over the whole, round 

 and round, to keep all secure. The thread under the silver paper, which 

 at first served to secure the wings, upon being left hold of, (as soon as 

 one of the upper threads supplies its place,) becomes relaxed, and does not 



therefore injure the specimen. The insect, 

 when set, will be as in the engraving, and 

 if high enough on the pin, the tips of the 

 wings will not touch the floor of the cabi- 

 net, an advantage which the Kev. F. O, 

 Morris (having experienced its good effects) 

 has pointed out, namely, any mite once displaced will not easily be able 

 again to get upon the insect. This plan appears on paper perhaps difficult 

 to carry out, but with a very little practice is certainly not only 

 exceedingly simple, but well adapted to show off" the fly. 



The situations in which the various species are to be taken must be 

 gleaned from the several books that are published on the subject, (vide 



