8 



BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA. 



the pulverized, and water enough to cover the cyanide and then, imme- 

 diately before there is time for the cyanide to dissolve, 

 put enough plaster of Paris in the bottle to soak up 

 the water. Cut a paper as in Fig. 2 to cover the 

 plaster. The bottle should then be left open in a 

 shady place for an hour to dry and then securely 

 corked and labeled "Poison." See Fig. 3. 



-, ,>^ Specimens placed in the bottle to be killed should 



Fig. 2. P.iper cut for ^g jgf^. there for at least a half hour, but they may be 



cyanide boUle. 



left In over night without injury. 



Another method of killing the insect is to enclose a piece of cotton, 

 upon which a few drops of chloroform, sulphuric ether or benzene has 

 been put, with the insect to be killed, in a small bottle or small box. 



Still another method of killing is to entangle the insect in the meshes 

 of the (silk) net, with wings over the back, and give a quick but hard 

 squeeze on the sides of the thorax. This may do some injury to the insect 

 by rubbing off some scales, but in the absence of a killing bottle it may 

 be necessary to kill a specimen or lose it. 



Much of the success of the collector will depend upon his skill in the 

 use of his net. No description of the method 



is worth anything besides a very little ex- 

 perience, and one soon learns to capture with 

 dextrous turn of the hand, "practice makes 

 perfect." It is possible to sweep into the net 



an insect which is fluttering through the air 

 and by a turn of the hand to close the bag. 



One manner which is preferred by many is 



to clap the net over the butterfly and allow 



it to rise, and then insert the bottle in the 



net and without touching it allow it to drop 



into the bottle. If possible the fingers should 



never be allowed to come in contact with 



the wings. 



Papering Specimens — When time and place 



do not suffice for the proper preparation of 



the butterflies, they may be placed in en- 

 velopes, until such a time as one is able to 



relax and properly mount them. The small 



dry envelopes are very good for this. The 



insect while in the net usually has its wings 



folded back. It may also be dropped into 



a triangular envelope made by folding a Fig. 3. Cyanide bottle. 



piece of paper as shown in Fig. 4, and a memorandum of the locality and 



date of capture is written on the envelope. They may then be packed 



in a shallow box, a cigar box being preferable. 



When it is desired to pin and spread specimens that have been stored 



away they are relaxed. To do this take several large sheets of blotting 



paper, wet with water, place the papered butterflies on the sheets, then 



