59 



some soft, firm material into which pins may be pushed without 

 bending them. There are many such materials. Sheet cork or 

 pressed peat may be obtained of dealers in entomological sup- 

 plies. Some ingenious boys use regular bottle corks cut into 

 cross sections about ^ inch thick. Others take the pith of dried 

 corn-stalks divided in half lengthwise. The cheapest and most 

 easily procurable of the purchasable materials is cork linoleum. 

 This is for sale in most carpet stores. Get the quality that is 

 about y^ inch thick which costs about $i per yard; put it into 

 the box cork-side up. Any of these materials may be fastened to 

 the bottom of the box with glue or with tacks. In all cases they 

 should be covered neatly with white paper for the insects appear 

 better against a white background. 



For permanent collections the wooden boxes with glass tops 

 are much safer; and as the insects may be seen through the glass 

 these boxes are more practical for school collections. This kind 

 of a box is shown in Fig. 5 . Its sides are 1 8 by 16 inches and its 



Fig. 5 . Insect box made of wood, with glass top. 



height is three inches outside measure. The upper edge of the 

 sides of the bottom of the box is made with a tongue which fits 

 into a groove made in the lower edge of the sides of the cover. 

 This is done so that the top and bottom parts of the box shall fit 

 very closely together in order that museum pests cannot get in 

 and destroy the specimens. 



Fig. 6 shows a cross-section through one side of the box, show- 

 ing how it should be made and giving measurements. In the 

 drawing the glass is fitted into a groove in the inner side of the 

 cover. This glass might be puttied in like a window pane if it 

 is found difficult to make the groove. The corners of the box 

 may be mitred and dove-tailed or mitred and nailed; the latter is 



