320 SETTING AND rnr.SERViNn insects. 



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

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

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

 are endowed with a quicker motion, and possess a constiuit, regular, 

 and genial warmth — such as young mice or the naked young ot birds : 

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

 force, speedy death is the certain consequence : but insects under 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 are in ge- 

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

 wings become stiff before the 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 lire, or 

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

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

 y>iaced under the tumltler, which will deprive the insect of life in a few 

 ■onds of time. The pin, which serves to transfix the insect, should be 

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

 that in looking on the insect no part of the wings should 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 much practice to display 

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

 and vmiformity in a collection. 



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

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

 in pi. 12. fig. 3. a, with a longer brace over the wings, as at 6; this 

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

 when the wings are raised to their proper i>lace by the setting needle 

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

 antenuce 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 su})erabundance. 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 successfid for recovering the original api)earance 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 of linen cloth, and 

 thereto ai)ply the under jiart of the body of the insect: the heat of 

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

 prevents the chalk from clotting to the insect. 



