GENERAL FEATURES 45 



When properly set, and well dried before removal, the wings will 

 never droop, unless from undue dampness in the air. By "prop- 

 erly set" I mean that the body of the butterfly shall be neither too 

 high nor too low, as noted above. 



When setting butterflies, attend carefully to the antennse ; see 

 that they are free and straight, and steady them with pins, if nec- 

 essary, and if they are near the wings they will stand less risk of 

 breaking. Sometimes the head will be turned a little, so that the 

 antennje are not even ; then the head must be straightened, and 

 held with pins, if necessary. See that the body is straight and 

 level ; if drooping, it must be held up with a bit of cotton, or by 

 two pins crossed under it. Do not neglect the work at this stage 

 of setting. If you are not willing to attend patiently to a great 

 deal of work and drudgery at this point, do not catch butterflies 

 at all : let them go. Don't get impatient and nervous. If you are 

 troubled with "nerves," I advise you to quit before you begin to 

 handle butterflies. 



The next step is to place the set and dried specimens in the 

 boxes or drawers where they will be safe from dust, and children, 

 and curious visitors, and from the ever-present pests of mice, and 

 moths, and little beetles. It is no use to catch butterflies, and set 

 them, and care for them a while, and then let the museum-pests 

 get them. It may cost quite a deal of money to get a suitable 

 case of drawers, but it is better to let the butterflies alone, rather 

 than to try to get along with defective and inadequate case or 

 other safe storing place. Moth balls must be used freely and con- 

 tinuously, to keep the pests away, w^herever they may be stored. 



Drawers twenty inches wide, and twenty long, and deep enough 

 to receive the longest pin, and with glass tops, hinged, are best ; 

 the side pieces should be long and project back a foot or more, 

 or far enough to hold the drawer in place and allow the top to be 

 lifted, else every time you lift the lid you must find some table 

 or other place upon which to place it, while with this plan you 

 can have a dozen drawers open at the same time. Make a pocket 

 or cage in the center of each drawer, or at the corners, wherein 

 to place a perpetual supply of the moth balls. The drawers must 

 be well-made, with tight-fitting joints, and with closely-fitting lid 

 or cover, to keep the pests out. "The best is the cheapest." 



