COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS RILEY. 



[71] 



Albert Koebele, who has used mica or gelatine instead of cardboard, 

 the object being not only to show the whole of the under side of the 

 specimen, but to obscure less of the light from the labels and to render 

 the triangles less conspicuous in the cabinet. These have been in use 

 in the museum collection only for the last two or three years, and 

 whether they will eventually tend to corrode the pins is not yet settled. 

 Mica and isinglass are also used for the same purpose. The points used 

 in mounting may easily be cut by hand to a convenient size, say one- 

 fourth of an inch (0-8 mm ) long by one-sixteenth or less at the base, and 

 tapering to a point. The point may be narrower or wider to accommo- 

 date insects of different sizes. 



For cutting these triangles or points, various forms of punches similar 

 to the appended figure (Fig. 97) known to the trade as conductor's 

 punches may be used, and points thus cut are to be preferred to those 

 made by other means, on account of the greater uniformity secured. 



An experienced hand, however, will cut these points very rapidly and 

 accurately with a pair of shears, and most collectors use no special 

 instrument for this purpose. 



The punches mentioned may be obtained of the manufacturers* of such 

 instruments at from $2 to $3. Care should be observed in ordering to state 

 explicitly the length, width at base and point, or, what is better, to in- 

 close sample of the size of point it is desired to cut; but above all, to 

 state that the block of paper to be cut out is the result desired, and 

 that the instrument should cut 

 clean and even, with no ragged 

 edges. 



For mounting different forms 

 and sizes the fastidious collec- 

 tor uses four or five sizes of 

 points, but for all practical pur- 

 poses one to cut a card point 

 not less than 1.3 mm at the base 

 and prolonged as nearly as 

 possible to a point, and another 

 a trifle wider at the base, say ] 

 in width will suffice. 



For mounting most long-bodied insects, e. #., Staphylinidse and 



Elateridse, an oblong card say l imn in width is 

 desirable. With a little care these may be cut 

 with sufficient uniformity with scissors. Seven 

 and one-half millimeters may be taken as a 

 standard of length, as this is about the size 

 used by the majority of our best collectors. 

 Shorter points, say 6 mm or one-quarter inch long, are sometimes preferred, 

 where economy of space is a desideratum. 



FIG. 97. Insect punch for cutting triangles or points 

 (original). 



or l mm and with a point about li 



abed 



FIG. 98. Points for mounting 



insects (original). 



'Montgomery & Co., 105 Fulton street, New York City. 



