GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AND STRUCTURE. 31 



desired position. A note to identify tlie species may be scratched upon 

 this paper guidon. A cotton string will answer the same purpose in a 

 small tield of observation. Another method is to puncture a leaf with a 

 })encil point, making a letter, figure, or symbol. The holes leave a dry 

 border which easily identifies a particular spot for many days. 



Larger boxes should be placed in the satchel to be used for collecting 

 cocoons and nests. The nests are often difficult to preserve, but some of 

 them are so beautiful that they are well worth the effort. I 

 a ing usually take special boxes for this purpose, or when not so pro- 

 vided, carry the nests free in my hand, or wrapped in little paper 

 bags. Cotton should always be kept in the satchel, and when the nests are 

 taken they should be carefully filled in with the cotton wool until the 

 natural proportions are fully marked out. Of course, the leaves will 

 rai)idly dry up and wither and the nests will lose their form unless this 

 precaution be taken. 



In collecting spider nests, it will nearly always be necessary to cut away 

 carefully a part of the adjoining foliage, in order to prevent the collai)se 

 of the whole when the supporting lines are cut. It is better 

 to fill a nest with cotton before it is cut away from its site, 

 or immediately thereafter. Tissue paper or even crushed 

 leaves will answer where cotton is wanting. 



An ordinary pocket rule, a strong knife with a good, big 

 blade for taking out ground spiders, should also go into the 

 hand bag. Pencils, several of them, for one is apt to lose a 

 pencil in the excitement of collecting unless it be tied to the fig. 19. a paper 

 neck or button ; a hand lens for the satchel, and two or |cTpecimen°s^'*' 

 three others to carry in the pockets, are almost necessary. A 

 good objective may be carried in a vest pocket, and will give one an 

 opportunity for rough microsco})ic observations while he is afield. Provide 

 •also a pair of shears for clipping off twigs and branches; and a few elastic 

 bands for fastening the boxes whose covers are a little loose. 



For one who wishes to collect spiders without i)articularly observing 

 the habits, a glass bottle or good sized glass tube filled with alcohol, is 

 the chief requisite. If one is collecting Orbweavers or Line- 

 Cabinet weavers, by placing the open bottle beneath the spider and 

 ^^^^" gently touching the creature, it will frequently drop into the 

 alcohol, or the bottle can be placed rapidly beneath the spider, 

 and with the sudden impulse to drop which is characteristic of it, it will 

 fall directly into the alcohol. A cyanide bottle, sucli as is used by collectors 

 of Lepidoptera may be used instead of alcohol. 



After the spiders have been collected in the bottle, they may be assorted 

 and placed in separate tubes. No special method of mounting spiders can 

 be satisfactorily recommended. 1 have foiind nothing better for my own 

 purposes than glass bottles, well corked, with a bit of paper inside to 



