46 MR. A. J. T. JANSE : HOW TO COLLECT AND 



but, as it is often more satisfactory to make them, I will 

 describe a few and how to prepare them. 



Rela.vimj-hox. — This is a tight tin box with a well-fitted 

 lid. Having selected a box^ obtain some coarse sand, wash 

 this well, and when dry bake it a few hours in the oven of a 

 kitchen stove. Spread a layer on the bottom of the box and 

 then moisten it well with boiled water, to which a little 

 carbolic acid has been added. This will prevent mould to a 

 large extent. Cover the sand with a sheet of thick blotting- 

 paper and place on top of tins a thin sheet of cotton wool. 



Some collectors use a glass bell-jar over a plateful of 

 moist sand : but I do not advise this, as light and moisture 

 combined ruin the colours more effectively and far more 

 rapidly than either of the two separately. Further, do not 

 keep moths or butterflies in the relaxing-box longer than is 

 really necessary. The fresher the specimens are^ the shorter 

 this period can be ; in fact, fresh specimens hardly require 

 relaxing at all. 



Setting -hoards. — A large- variety of setting-boards are 

 advised bv different entomologists and some very peculiar 

 kinds are advocated. Sketches of some of tliem (figs. 10, 11, 

 12, 1)5, 17; wilb I think, be sufficient to show at once that 

 they are wrongly designed both for ease in setting and for 

 giving a good pose to the insects both for study and general 

 a[)pearance. 



As setting-boards sold by dealers are as a rule unsatis- 

 factory (I have not seen such a one that I consider up to the 

 mark), it is as well to have them made locally, or better 

 still to make them oneself. Good soft wood is most important. 

 The best in my exp(^rience is soft American poplar ; but 

 when this cannot be obtained, dear pine is the next best. 

 Select soft wood without any knots in it and more than I inch 

 tliick ; i.e. one nominal inch. Cut from this long strips, a few 

 2 in. wide, some 1^ in. wide, and quite a number of 1 in. 

 wide. Plane these on the edges only ; one of the flat sides 

 is planed when the board is constructed. Next cut the strips 

 neatly into 8 in. lengths, as this is to be the length of the 

 settine-boards. Longer boards are rather cumbersome and 



