42 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE 



is where it is wanted. It is customary now among ento- 

 mologists to bring the fore wings forward until the hind 

 margins of these wings shall form a straight line, as in 

 Fig. 32, and then bring the hind wings far enough round 

 to look natural. When the wings are in place, put 

 on each side from one to two narrow strips of paper, as 

 shown in the figure. 



After the insects are spread on the boards they may 

 be put into a drying-case, where they should remain from 

 five to ten days, according to the size of the specimens 

 and the state of the weather. A convenient case may 

 be made in the form of a box long enough to hold the 

 boards, set on edge, with shelves put in it three inches 

 apart, and with a door in front. It may be deep enough 

 for two of the boards to go on each shelf. If the back 

 of the case is made of wire-cloth the specimens will dry 

 more readily. 



If conveniences are not at hand for spreading butter- 

 flies when caught, as in travelling, they may be pinned, 

 but not spread, and put into empty boxes, to be relaxed 

 and spread at some future time ; or they may be put into 

 papers or small envelopes, with such notes as to place and 

 date of capture, etc., as may be of interest marked on the 

 outside. To prepare a paper for this purpose, take a strip 

 of ordinary writing-paper a little longer than wide, and 

 fold it obliquely across the middle so that a quarter of an 

 inch shall project beyond each of the sides of the triangle 

 thus made. With the butterfly inside of this, the wings 

 folded back to back, and the projecting part folded 

 over the edge on each side, a receptacle is formed which 

 will keep the insect in good condition as long as de- 

 sired. The size of the papers should vary with the size 



