Mar., '04] 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



93 



latter are made from the cross-grain strips, and can easily be 

 split with a pen-knife into proper lengths, which for the end 

 pieces must be the same as the width of the bottom boards. 

 I use two uprights on each side of my thirteen-inch boards, 

 about an inch wide, to give stiffness and prevent springing of 

 the completed board. 



Now with the glue brush put a liberal quantity of glue on 

 one end only of each end and side piece, placing them in their 

 respective positions on the bottom board. As soon as this is 

 done, repeat the dose of glue on the top ends of these pieces, 

 and carefully lift the first corked pair of top boards, which will 

 be rigid enough by this time to handle gently, on top of the 

 uprights ; then move to a permanent drying place, with books 

 or weights on top. Finish up the other eleven in the same 

 way, and leave two days to thoroughly dry. 



The boards are complete now, but perfectly flat on top, which 

 is objectionable, and must be remedied by running a small 

 plane a few times over the surfaces, taking the deepest cuts 

 on the inside. The wood is so soft and easily worked that 

 this is much simpler than it seems. I use a little steel and 

 iron plane one and a half inches wide that cost about 40 cents. 



Be very careful to see that the inside edges, which are now 

 the upper edges of the slot, are perfectly even and level to 

 each other. If slightly irregular, the final finish with very fine 

 grade sandpaper will make them even. 



Fig. 5 shows an outline of a finished board and position of 

 the several parts, except the cork, which is hidden by the 

 top boards. 



A, top boards. B, bottom boards. C, end uprights. D, side uprights. 



There are several ways of expanding specimens practiced 

 by our well-known collectors, and attention and practice with 



