Beetles 1G9 



poison so thick that the expansion and contraction 

 of the plaster of Paris may crack the bottle. 



After the pieces of potassic cyanide are put in 

 the bottle by the druggist, on top of the cyanide 

 sprinkle the dry plaster of Paris ; level the plaster by 

 shaking it down a little, then take a common atom- 

 izer, fill it with water and spray the plaster with it. 

 When " fixed " the plaster will hold together in the 

 form of a shell over the poison and the shell can 

 be regulated and should not be thicker than the 

 glass of the bottle itself. Let the druggist do all 

 this for you because cyanide is a dangerous poison. 



When you pin your dead beetles, thrust the 

 pin through the right elytron (Fig. 172) (^'v'ing 

 cover) about a third of the way do^\Ti and, allowing 

 the point of the pin to come out on the right side 

 between the middle legs and the hind legs (Fig. 

 173) push the beetle up the pin, leaving only 

 enough of the latter protruding above its back to 

 give you a hold with your fingers when you put the 

 specimen in the cabinet or take it out. 



Probably the most interesting pets in the way 

 of beetles are the ones you find in the water. They 

 are little trouble to feed and keep in confinement 

 because one can put them in an aquarium (Fig. 



