X vi INTR OD UCTIO.Y. 



in the figure. Care must be taken to set both sides perfectly uniformly. A little wool or 

 cork may be placed under the abdomen, as it is otherwise liable to droop in the Continental 

 setting. The boards are kept in a setting-house. This is a high box, with a door at the side, 

 in which is placed a perforated metal plate to admit air. Inside are grooves into which the 

 boards slide. Insects will take from a week to a fortnight according to size to become 

 perfectly dry, but, in hot dry weather not so long. 



Butterflies and moths which are so dry that the wings cannot be expanded must be 

 relaxed. To do this, take a box or plate filled with damp sand with a piece of turf or cork 

 laid on it and cover it with a bell-jar. Stick the insect on the turf or cork and leave it there for 

 a day or two under the jar. The wings will then become limp and the insect may easily be 

 set. It must not be left too long on the damp sand lest it become mouldy or discoloured, 

 which is especially liable to happen in the case of the blue butterflies and green Geometrida. 

 Instead of a box and bell-jar, a tight-fitting tin box may be used. 



THE COLLECTION. 



When the butterfly or moth is quite dry, it should be carefully removed from the 

 setting-board and placed in an air-tight box lined with turf or cork covered with white paper, 

 or the insects may be arranged in a cabinet with glass-covered drawers similarly lined with 

 cork or turf. If a cabinet be obtained for the collection the drawers should be made of 

 exactly the same size, so that any drawer can be taken out and transferred to a different part 

 of the cabinet. Some entomologists use drawers fitted with glass on both sides, with a narrow 

 strip of cork covered with white paper on the lower surface to receive the pins. The advan- 

 tage of this is that the under side of the insects can be seen without disturbing them. The 

 cabinet or boxes must be placed in a dry warm room, as damp is very injurious to the collection. 



In arranging the collection the most perfect and the best coloured specimens are chosen, 

 and w-here possible both the male and female as well as the under side should be represented. 

 In arranging series, specimens from several localities are very interesting. One pair is not 

 sufficient in the case of variable species, and in these the more varieties that can be obtained 

 the better. On the pin of each specimen should be placed a small label w'ith the locality and 

 date of capture, and the generic name should be put at the top of the series, and the specific 

 name below that of each species. The insects should be arranged in columns, which may be 

 marked out with ink or with black thread. 



There are various ways of protecting the collection from mites, etc. A piece of camphor 

 or solid naphtholine may be placed in a muslin bag in a corner of the drawer or box, or in 

 recesses made for the purpose. On the Continent mercurj' is sometimes placed loose in the 

 drawers. 



Butterflies and moths which have become greasy may be placed in a box and covered 

 with finely ground chalk or pipeclay and a few drops of sulphuric ether poured over it. The 

 box is then kept closed for a few days, when the adherent powder is carefully removed with 

 a fine camel's-hair brush. If very greasj' the insect may be dipped into pure ether or benzole, 

 but the dry method is preferable, and should always be tried first. 



