COLLECTING & PRESERVING INSECT LIFE. 415 



little to the right of the centre of the wing covers. 

 In the case of small insects, such as some of the 

 flies, wasps and ants, a piece of thin white cardboard 

 is cut about 1 in. by i in. A pin is put through one 

 end, the other end is smeared with gum or thin 

 starch, and then the small insects are arranged by 

 means of forceps and adliere readily to the gummed 

 surface. 



Entomological pins of various sizes can be bought, 

 but as these are rather expensive dressmakers' steel 

 pins answer the purpose for the ordinary collector 

 in the early stages of his work. After the insect is 

 removed from the stretching board it should be set 

 out. For this purpose a setting box is necessary; 

 this consists of a box opening in the centre, each half 

 being similar, one portion fitting closely on to the 

 other when closed. Such box should be made of 

 light wood and about three inches in depth. It 

 should be lined with cork or cork composition; fail- 

 ing to procure either of these substances, linoleum 

 might be used as a substitute. The lining material 

 is glued to the box, and then the whole of the inner 

 surface is covered Avith white paper. Frequently 

 Ihies are ruled on the paper to assist in the better 

 arrangement of the insects. Each insect should have 

 a label attaclied, either to the pin which holds tlie 

 insect or immediately below it pinned to tlie box. The 

 label sliould shew the order, family, genus and 

 species to which the insect belongs ; also the populai 

 name, if any, and date and place of collecting. 



Instead of a setting box such as we have descri])ed, 

 and which will probably be far too expensive for the 



