THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 291 



served in small paper triangles, as shown in Fig. 291 B, until ready 

 for spreading. If so kept they ])ecome dry and brittle and should be 

 kept in a moist chamber until completely relaxed before they are placed 

 upon the stretching board. 



Points. — All small insects which are chitinous enough to retain their 

 original form when dry, such as small members of the orders Coleoptera, 

 Hymenoptera and of the suborder Homoptera (excepting the families 

 Aphididce and Coccidm), in fact practically all small insects excepting 

 true flies (Diptcra) should he mounted upon small cardboard or 

 celluloid points (Fig. 292). White shellac or beetle glue* is used to 



h--;: 



Fig. 292. — A speci- 

 men properly mounted 

 upon a point. (After 

 Riley.) 



fasten the insects to the tips of the points. The size of the points vary 

 somewhat but one adapted to all needs should be 9 mm. long, 1 mm. 

 wide at the base and gradually tapering to a blunt point. The insect 

 should be mounted so that it faces from you when the pin is to the 

 right of it, as shown in Fig. 292. Care should be exercised to see that 

 the specimen is straight, at right angles to the point and that all appen- 

 dages are free. Ladybird beetles {CoccinelUdce) should be mounted so 

 that the points do not reach quite to the middle of the sternum. 



CASES FOR PINNED INSECTS. 



By far the most satisfactory containers for pinned insects are the 

 Schmitt insect boxes which are dust and insect proof. Specially con- 

 structed cases with glass tops are excellent for exhibition purposes. 

 Small sacks or balls of naphtha should be pinned in the corners to 

 aid in keeping out insects destructive to specimens. 



* Beetle glue is prepared as follows: 



Water 45 parts 



Alcohol (95 per cent) 8 parts 



Carbolic acid 2 parts 



Sugar 30 parts 



Gum arable 60 parts 



