34 COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS. 



other will just miss the head and palpi. The hind wings should 

 be close up, leaving no intervening space, but just showing the 

 upper angle of the wing evenly on each side. I can give no 

 more precise directions as to how this desirable result may 

 most simply and speedily be attained ; no two people set alike. 

 Speed is an object ; for I have often had to set twelve dozen 

 insects before breakfast. A simple process is essential, for a 

 man who is always pinning and moving pins, and rearranging 

 wings and legs, is sure to remove a certain number of scales 

 and spoil the appearance of the insect, besides utterly destin- 

 ing its value. I raise each of the fore wings with a pin and fix 

 the pin against the inner margin so as to keep them in position 

 while I apply the braces. Half the battle is really in the pin- 

 ning. When an insect is pinned through the exact centre of 

 the thorax with the pin properly sloped forward, the body 

 appears to fall naturally into its position on the setting-board, 

 and the muscles of the wings being left free are easily directed 

 and secured : but if the pin is not put exactly in the middle, it 

 interferes with the play of the wings. Legs must be placed close 

 against the body or they will project and interfere with the set 

 of the wings. Practice, care and a steady hand, will succeed. 

 When all the insects that have been killed are set, the contents 

 of the canister will be found again ready, twenty minutes being 

 amply sufficient to expose to the fumes of ammonia. Very 

 bright green or pale pink insects should be killed by some other 

 process, say chloroform, as ammonia will affect their colors. 



"Insects should be left on the setting-boards a full week to 

 dry ; then the braces may be carefully removed and they may 

 be transferred to the store box. 



" Having given some account of the process each insect goes 

 through, I will say a word as to the apparatus required. 



" First as to nets. The simplest net is a strong, circular, 

 iron wire hoop with a bag of book muslin attached, fastened 

 into a light deal or other handle. 



"I use a small pocket net about nine inches in diameter made 

 to fold up, with a jointed w T ire frame and a screw to fit into a 

 brass socket in a short cane handle. To counteract the strain 

 of the net upon so slight a frame the three wire joints are made 

 flat, the two side joints flattened across the strain, the upper 

 one the reverse way ; but to prevent this upper joint from 



