Vol. XXV] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 203 



cut to fit the boxes, between the layers of butterflies, and also 

 take measures to prevent the boxes rattling around in the 

 pocket. No pressure is allowed to come on the specimens. If 

 the day is very hot and dry, a few small leaves or some grass 

 may be placed in each box when it is filled, for the purpose of 

 supplying a little moisture. Large butterflies may be pinned 

 directly in an ordinary collecting box. 



On the evening of the following day I remove the speci- 

 mens from the tin boxes and pin them carefully, so that the 

 position of the pin need not afterward be changed, placing 

 them in a cork-lined box, inclining the pin forward at an 

 angle of about 45 degrees, and holding the wings in a hori- 

 zontal position with respect to the body, by thrusting a long 

 steel pin into the cork so that the side of it rests against the 

 upper surface of the wings. At the same time I also see to it 

 that the antennae are kept away from the pin on which the 

 insect is impaled, so they are not endangered in later handling, 

 In ordinary weather 12 hours is a sufficient length of time for 

 the specimens to become set, after which they can be trans- 

 ferred into the boxes in which they are to undergo transporta- 

 tion. 



It is important to the success of this method that these 

 boxes should be provided with some means of partially relax- 

 ing the specimens previous to transportation. A cheap and 

 simple, yet effective device for the purpose is found in the 

 form of a small pan about 4 in. x 8 in., ^ in. deep, made of 

 oiled sheet, such as is commonly used in letter press copying. 

 This pan is made by marking off the size lightly with the 

 point of a pocket knife, turning up the edges and fastening 

 them by means of small paper fasteners or clasps. Into this 

 pan are put half a dozen sheets of ordinary blotting paper, and 

 the whole is fastened securely to the inside of the lid of the 

 box with brass paper fasteners reinforced with washers of 

 oiled sheet. 



Into these boxes the specimens are pinned after the wings 

 have become set as described above. They can be pinned with 

 wings overlapping or fl shingled," so that a great many speci- 



