' LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS 255 



imperfect sijecimen is of no scientific value. [ only wish 

 to emphasise the necessity of handling a perfectly dry 

 specimen with the greatest possible care, and that any 

 repairing, however neatly it may be done, never quite 

 recovers the former value of the specimen. 



Mould. 



Mould or the growth of fungi on the specimens is 

 another trouble that sometimes utterly ruins them. This 

 may be due to keeping material too long in the relaxing- 

 box or to the insufficient disinfection of the box. It may 

 also result from keeping the collection in too moist a 

 place This last condition will hardly occur in inland parts 

 of S. Africa; but, near the coast, collectors may have to 

 take special precautions against mould. Cabinets should 

 never be placed against an outside wall and should al 

 ways stand an inch off any wall, and be raised about 

 three inches from the floor. If the cabinet room is very 

 moist, some dishes of calcium chloride placed about wil. 

 absorb the moisture to a very large extent. When cal 

 cium chloride becomes liquid, it may be healed till all 

 the moisture is driven ofl", w^hen it is again lit for use. 

 This process can be repeated as often as one likes, and 

 is therefore inexpensive, yet very effective. 



Preparing Specimens for Post. 



In conclusion, I will give some hints on packing speci- 

 mens to go forward by post. All dried insects may be 

 sent by sample post which is inexpensive, and, if the 

 packing is well done, reasonably safe. Heavy packing 

 is out of the question, but mailing boxes .should be strong 

 enough to stand any rough treatment they may receive, 

 notwithstanding such written injunctions on the address 

 label as: '^With very great care,'^ "Fragile,'' ^' Don't 

 throw," etc. In order to pack the largest number of 

 pinned insects into the smallest space, the specimens 

 with large wings can be ^^ shingled " ; that is, placed 

 somewhat obliquely so that the wings of one specimen 



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