[77] COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS RILEY 



B and the support with attachment shown at A. The former is made 

 in a long strip of the shape 

 shown in the illustration, 

 having a square groove, c, 

 cut in the top. Over this is 

 glued a thin strip of wood, 

 fc, say inch thick, and a 

 narrow slit is sawed in the 

 center of this above, cutting- 

 through into the groove c. 

 This is then sawed up into 

 pieces of uniform length, 

 say 1 to 2 inches, and the 



block is completed by the Flo lu7 ._ Spreading . ca8e (original) . 



insertion of a rectangular 



strip of pith or cork into the groove. The Micro is' pinned on a short 

 black pin, and the pin is thrust down into the narrow opening made 

 by the saw and is held firmly by the pith or cork. This block is then 

 slid into the groove in the setting-board A, which narrows slightly from 

 e, and pushed along until firmly secured (d}. The operator can then 

 rest his hands and arms on either side of the support, and, if necessary, 

 bring a large hand lens over the object by means of a support with ball- 

 and-socket joint shown at e. The mugs may thus be easily and accu- 

 rately arranged and fixed in position with pins or strips of paper, as in 

 the ordinary mounting of such insects. Two or three specimens m;iy 



be mounted on each of these 

 blocks. The construction 

 of the support is indicated 

 in the annexed drawing. 

 One side is' attached by 

 clamps, shown enlarged at 

 /, which afford means of ad- 

 justing the width of the slit 

 in which the small sawed 

 blocks slide and correct the 

 shrinking or swelling which 

 may take place in moist or 

 dry seasons. The advantage 

 of the apparatus is that the 

 operator has the setting 

 block firmly fixed before 

 him and has both hands free to manipulate the wings of the insect in 

 addition to having the lens in a convenient position, the use of which 

 is necessary in the preparation of the very minute forms. 



Spreading Microlepidoptcra.Tlie mounting of Microlepidoptera is 

 about the most delicate work in eutomotaxy, and I can not do better 



FIG. 108. Spreading apparatus for Hkrulepiduptora 

 (original). 



