and Laboratory Methods. 2377 



parts, as well as its original shape, in order that when received by the museum 

 authorities or the private collector it can readily be transferred to its proper 

 place in the collection as nearly perfect as possible. For this purpose cylin- 

 ders or tubes of porous paper are best. These can be made by rolling the 

 paper over small cylinders of light wood of various diameters as indi- 

 cated in the illustration numbered Fig. 3. When rolled, fasten the paper 

 with a little paste, slide partly oft" the wood and fold shut one end. Now shove a 

 little cotton into the tube until its rests on the folded end, fold the legs and 

 antennae of your specimen to its body and push into the tube head-first. Put 

 in a second small wad of the cotton and fold shut the other end, taking care 

 not to twist or injure the tips of wings, legs or other parts of inclosed specimen. 

 To insure this it is necessary to have the paper tubes plenty long to allow for 

 folding the ends. When placed in papers, as just described, the specimens 

 need still further care, according to locality and climate in which collected. If 



Fig. 2. — Showing method of opening orthopterous insect for 

 " stuffing." 



in a desert or other arid region, if simply packed loosely in a light wooden or 

 other box, so as to allow for a free circulation of air for drying, will suffice. 

 Even non-stuffed specimens of small and moderate sized insects, when thus 

 wrapped and allowed to dry quickly, will make fair cabinet specimens. In 

 moist, warm regions, however, they must be dried artificially in small portable 

 or other ovens, and then packed in tin boxes along with a little carbolic acid 

 or naphta crystals for destroying mould and keeping out insect pests that other- 

 wise would soon destroy them. Flat-bodied forms, like the cockroaches {Blat- 

 toidea), especially the larger kinds, can best be wrapped in small paper envelopes 

 or triangles instead of tubes. 



Cleaning Mouldy Specimens. — If perchance specimens of considerable 

 value should become mouldy, or such should be received from persons who are 

 not familiar with the best methods of handling these insects, they can usually be 

 saved. Although not making the best of cabinet specimens, they will never- 

 theless fairly well represent the species until replaced by better. These mouldy 

 specimens should be placed in a tin box between wet cloths or blotting papers 

 that have been pretty well sprinkled with dilute carbolic acid and leave for 

 twenty-four to thirty-six hours or until sufficiently soft not to break when han- 

 dled. Then pour some alcohol into a dish and add to it about one-twentieth as 

 much liquid carbolic acid. With a camel hair brush carefully clean the entire 



