48 HOW T(^ COLLECT AND PRESERVE LEPIDOPTERA. 



The boards used for very small insects, such as Micro- 

 lepidoptera, are made from ^ in. wood throughout and pith 

 is always used instead of peat. The slits must be carefully 

 regulated and the upper surfaces should be very carefully 

 planed and sand-papered. If such setting-boards are to be 

 taken abroad with insects on them it is a good plan to have 

 grooves in the sides, which fit into T-pieces (as shown in 

 fig. 17) of the shelves in the cupboard. The special cupboard 

 should have plenty of ventilation, it should not be exposed 

 to light and must be kept free from ants. In it set specimens 

 carry very well. 



Tracing clotli. — Tracing cloth, not tracing ^>a;;^?', cut into 

 strips of from 2 mm. to 20 mm. in width and about 9 in. 

 long is a further requirement. The narrower strips are used 

 only twice ; but the wider strips, for covering the tips of the 

 wings, may 1)6 used several dozen times. 



Setting needle and pins. — A very thin needle fixed into a 

 thin wooden stick is required, together with a few liundred 

 glass-beaded steel [lins. about an inch long. 



►Setting. 

 This requiies great care if the best results are to be 

 obtained. Do not be in a hurry and do not lose patience. 

 Be sure that the insect is correctly pinned ; if this is not the 

 case, the setting must be a failure. Study figs. 7 and 8 

 carefully and see that the pin is in tlie position shown by 

 the dotted lines. 



EXPLANATKJX OF PLATE IL— THE SETTING OF 

 LFPIDOPTERA. 



1. (a) Wire ring- ready for attachment to stick, {b) perforated t(jp of 

 stick. 1 A. (a) Wire rin^--, {b) metal ring- to clamp ends of wire to stick, 

 [c) top of stick with slits cut to accommodate Avire ends. 2. Killing- 

 bottle Avith glass-topped box in position {in set^/on), («) glass of box, 

 {b) box, (c) layer of plaster of I'aris, {d) blotting-paper, {e) sawdust 

 and cyanide. 3. Killing box {in section), {a) cyanide and sawdust, {b) 

 plaster of Paris, {c) sheet of cork. .'3 A. Showing how cork is fixed to 

 bottom of killing-box by strips of tin, {a.a.u) cork, {b.h) tin strip .soldered 

 to bottom of box. 4. Pinning forceps, o. Lifting forceps. (). Butter- 

 fly envelope (open), the dotted lines show^ the various folds. OA. Butter- 

 tly envelope folded. 7. Illustrating faulty pinning, {a) thorax. (The 



