320 SETTING AND PnESEnVING INSECTS. 



warmer temperature of body and a swifter circulation of the fluids. To 

 the philosophic mind it is seU-evident, that they have not such acute 

 organs of feeUng pain as other animals of a similar size whose juices 

 arc endowed witli a quicker motion, and possess a constant, regular, 

 and genial warmtli — such as young mice or the naked young of birds : 

 if any of these have the misfortune to lose their heads or limbs from 

 force, speedy death is the certain consequence : but insects imdcr si- 

 milar circumstances, it is well known, are capable of surviving a consi- 

 derable time." For small Moths, it is only necessary to put the pin 

 through the thorax, and they die in a very short time. The minute spe- 

 cies of this Order should be collected in chip boxes, as they arc in ge- 

 neral too small to be pierced when first taken ; they soon die, and the 

 wings become stiff before tlic Entomologist has time to set them; but 

 if brought home in separate pill-boxes they will remain alive for seve- 

 ral days, and are instantly killed by being exposed near the fire, or 

 placed under a tumbler with the lid of the box sliglitly elevated, but not 

 sufficient to allow the insect to escape; a lighted match should then he 

 placed under the tumbler, which will deprive the insect of life in a few 

 seconds of time. The pin, which serves to transfix the insect, shoiddbe 

 passed through the thorax in the centre, and in an upright position, So 

 that in looking on the insect no part of the wings shoidd be obscured by 

 the slope of the pin. The insects of this Order are by far the most dif- 

 ficult to set, for they require great care and inuch practice to display 

 them with that nicety which adds so much beauty to their appearance 

 and imiformity in a collection. 



The method of setting the Insects )f this Order is by braces : a sin- 

 gle brace should be first introduced uuderthe wing near the thorax, as 

 in pi. 12. fig. 3. a, with a longer brace over the wings, as at /* ; this 

 shoidd not touch the wing, but be ready to be pressed gently down : 

 when the wings are raised to their proper place by the setting needle 

 <:, other braces are to be applied according as they are required: the 

 antennae and feet are to be extended to their proper attitude, and kept 

 so by pins or small braces. 



Some Moths are very liable to change colour when placed in the ca- 

 binet after a short time: an oily matter is common to all insects, but 

 some are charged with a superabundance. It appears at first in spots 

 on the body, but gradually pervades every part; in some it will even 

 descend into the wings, and then an obliteration of all the beautiful 

 markings is the least that may be expected : the method which is the 

 most successful for recovering the original appearance after the insect 

 has become greasy, is to powder some fine dry chalk on a piece of 

 heated iron, cover the chalk with a very fine piece ol" linen doth, and ' 

 thereto apply the under part of tlie body of the insect: the heat of 

 the iron dissolves the grease while the chalk absorbs it, and the cloth 

 l^revenlN the chulk from clotting to the insect. 



