COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS — BANKS. 55 



three holes, each going to the bottom. The upper hole can be used 

 to fix the height of points, the next to fix height of label, and the third 

 to fix height of specimen by inverting it and pushing the insect down 

 to block. Fully one-fourth the length of the pin should extend above 

 the insect (fig. 97). Some entomologists use brass blocks with a mi- 

 nute hole through them for the purpose of gauging the height of the 

 specimen. 



The insects should be dumped from the collecting jar upon some 

 soft substance, as blotting paper, cloth, or a folded handkerchief. If 

 soiled, they may be cleaned by a soft, dry brush; or, if beetles with 

 earth attached, they may be washed in ether or benzine. With pin- 

 ning, as other matters, practice makes perfect, and the beginner 

 should use much care in learning to push the pin through the insect 

 without injuring the parts, splitting elytra, or pushing out a leg. 

 Beetles should be pinned through the right elytron (fig. 97), about 

 one-fourth the distance from the base; most other insects, as Lepi- 

 doptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Orthoptera, and Neuroptera, through 

 the middle of the mesothorax. In some 

 groups, however, it is preferable to put the pin 



a little to the right of the center. TheHemip- /* ^ ^^ ^&5&^J 

 tera are commonly pinned through the scu- r" ^^jj 

 tellum. Many, however, are better pinned .^^^^ 

 through the right wing near the base. The ^^^~ 

 best way is to hold the specimen between the 

 thumb and forefinger of the left hand and 

 insert the pin with the right hand, so that the 

 abdomen will be slightly depressed. Then 



. i" l ^ IG - 9 ~- — A BEETLE PINNED. 



the pinning block may be used to push the 



specimen up the pin, but the lapel of one's coat is about as handy 

 as anything. Formerly many spread the legs of the insect. This is 

 not considered advisable, but if they are folded up close they should 

 be pulled out so that each part may be examined with a lens. The 

 antennae, if long, should be applied backward and near the insect, not 

 sticking out at varying angles. When one captures a pair of insects 

 in the act of mating it is useful to put them both on the same pin, the 

 male above the female. 



In mounting small insects the micro-pins are largely used, especially 

 for Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, and Diptera, and even small Hemiptera. 

 With Hymenoptera and Coleoptera they are not advisable. There 

 are several ways of using these micro-pins in double mounts, as may 

 be seenfrom the accompanying figure (fig. 98). The most popular way 

 is figure 98, b, the micro-pin inserted in one end of a piece of cork and 

 the ordinary pin stuck through the other end of the cork. These cork 

 strips should be narrow, not longer than necessary, and are best cut 

 with a razor. If the sheet of cork is covered with white paper, the 

 strips make a neater appearance. Some have advocated the use of 



