108 



BULLETIN 67, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The Carnegie Museum uses a drawer 16 by 22 inches and 2 inches 

 deep inside. The top is of glass. The sides have a pocket on the 

 inner edge. The paper over this pocket is perforated with small 

 holes. Naphthalene crystals are placed in the pocket and the fumes 

 reach the interior of the box. Mr. Martindale had his Lepidoptera 

 in drawers with glass bottom and top. Across the bottom were 

 narrow strips of cork, supported in narrow tin frames. The speci- 

 mens are pinned into this cork strip, and by turning the box upside 

 down, one can see the underside of the insect. For large insects 

 only four or five strips were used in each box; for smaller forms 

 ten or twelve strips. Each strip was fastened at its upturned edge 

 by a thumb tack to the end of the box. 



The Deyrolle drawers used by some entomologists are light boxes 

 about 15 by 18 incites-, with a narrow strip of zinc set edgewise all 

 around the top of the lower part of the box. The cover is glass, 

 and the frame of cover has a narrow groove to fit over the strip of 



zinc. They are very tight, and for 

 some insects too tight, as one has 

 to lift up the top very gradually 

 else the suction will break the 

 wings of frail specimens. These 

 Deyrolle drawers are lined with 

 either pith or cork. 



Various substitutes have been 

 used for cork. The compressed 

 cork is usually of uneven texture ; 

 patent cork is a much better ma- 

 terial. Many have used sheets of 

 peat covered with paper, which is 

 very soft, and for study collections it is handy, but is apt to pro- 

 duce too much dust. It is cheaper than cork. Pith of various 

 plants has been recommenced. Corn pith can be readily obtained 

 and if well dried can be used by the beginner for lining cheap boxes. 

 A material called "Suberit" is being used by many collectors. Cor- 

 rugated paper can also be used for temporary boxes. A substitute 

 for cork is a soft thick paper, drawing or log paper, stretched on a 

 frame that fits in the bottom of the box. If the paper is moistened 

 slightly before being glued to the frame it will tighten in drying. 

 Paper may be glued to both sides of the frame as in figure 167. 

 The frame rests on a one-fourth inch ledge, leaving a little space 

 between it and the bottom of the box. 



Special mounts of insects. — The Denton brothers have invented a 

 way of mounting insects known as Denton tablets. These are blocks 

 of plaster of Paris with a depression for the body of the insect, and 

 glass covers. The glass cover is hermetically sealed to the block 



Fig. 167 .—Paper lining for insect box: A, A, 

 Side and bottom of box; B, frame; C, open 

 space; P, P, paper. (After Morse.) 



