188 THE entomologist's eecord. 



never sufficiently low to touch the cork. As regards flat setting, I 

 tried it some years ago, but the insects did not look well, and I gave 

 it up ; besides it has this great disadvantage, that after a time the 

 posterior border of the fore-wings frequently cockle up. Slightly 

 curved boards seem to me the best, the curve being less for Geometers, 

 as the wings of these seem in most cases to drop after a time, I 

 suppose from our being unable to keep them long enough braced 

 during busy times. — -W. S. KmiNG, M.D., F.E.8., Honiton. Noremhcr 

 1st, 1895. 



Uniformity of setting is much to be desired, but it seems to me to 

 be impossible of attainment. It depends so much upon the individual. 

 My rule is, as far as possible, to get the pin straight through the 

 centre of the thorax, and sloping so slightly forwards, that when 

 removed from the board the insect may slope slightly towards the 

 front of the cabinet drawer, the pin being exactly upright. My 

 boards are covered with lined paper. The lines act as guides to any- 

 one with defective sight. I could wish that boards were sold covered 

 with lined paper, but the very suggestion has been scorned by at 

 least one dealer. I set the inner margin of the fore-wings, as far as 

 possible, at right angles to the body, except where the great breadth 

 of the fore-wings renders this out of the question, as in most 

 Geometers. Two braces at least are wanted to each wing, and pins 

 to support the body in its proper position. Such is my theory, but 

 we all know how disappointing is the result of examination after 

 removal from the boards. The dropping of the wings is (I have to 

 thank Dr. Buckell for the suggestion) generally brought about by 

 neglect to see that the bases of the wings rest upon the shoulder of 

 the board ; thus the base of the wing will dry at a difi'erent angle 

 from that of the part of the wing braced down, with the result that, 

 when the insects are removed from the board, the outer parts of the 

 wing are compelled to take the angle at which the base has become 

 fixed. — (Rev.) C. R. N. Burrows, Rainham. Xoroubcr Qth, 1895. 



Mr. Burrows' remarks about " setting " and " pinning " are most 

 valuable. I rarely use more than one brace on each side, placed as 

 near as possible to the apex of the wings. What I aim at is to get a 

 gradual and even slope from base to apex and to prevent any cockling 

 up of the apex outside the brace, a very common tendency, especially 

 with Geometers. I always find pinning the chief difficulty ; an 

 insect well pinned is more than half set, and it is impossible to set 

 well one badly pinned. — E. F. Studd, M.A., B.C.L.,F.E.S.,Oxton, near 

 Exeter. Noirmbrr 15tli, 1895. 



I see that Dr. Riding quite agrees with me as to the tilting 

 forwards slightly of the pin. Another point which has always struck 

 me is that dealers generally do not give a wide enough groove in their 

 setting boards, so that the body of an insect cannot be properly pinned 

 inside the groove. I always take a setting board a great deal broader 

 than the insect to be set ; for instance, in the case of a small 

 Noctuid like Xdctua ulaveosa, I use a 3-inch board ; this gives the 

 proper curve, and the groove in the board comfortably holds the body 

 of the insect. There are many setters who leave a great angle 

 between the fore and hind wings, and this I think always looks bad, 

 so that I always bring the lower wing well up under the upper one. 

 — Montagu Gunning, M.D., The Mall, Montrose, N.B. — Xorcinbcr 

 25th, 1895. 



