108 NOTES ON THE COLLECTING AND 



" frames " (from off which the specimens may be cut at 

 leisure ; and at times, as for instance the winter, when we 

 are comparatively unoccupied) are at once applicable, — 

 whilst they enable us to stow into a single, compact drawer 

 upwards of two thousand individuals at least, which, accord- 

 ing to the usual plan, would have occupied two or three 

 cumbersome store-boxes for their reception. 



The mode of setting Coleoptera may be briefly described 

 as follows. The insects having been taken out of their bottle, 

 when killed, if you have not time to expand them whilst 

 fresh, put them into a minute bag (silk is the best), to be 

 thrown amongst your bruised laurel leaves. They will keep 

 pliant for a long time there, though it is desirable not to let 

 them remain in it much beyond a week. When you have 

 leisure to mount a" few of them, take a certain number out 

 from the bag ; and, having gummed thickly a space on your 

 cardboard equal to, at least, the enti7*e specimen when ex- 

 panded, place the beetle upon it, drag out the limbs with a 

 pin, and, leaving it to dry, go on with the next one that pre- 

 sents itself. As the card has to be cut, afterwards, around 

 your insect (so as to suit it), there is no advantage in gum- 

 ming it precisely straiglit upon your frame, — though it is 

 true that a certain amount of care in this respect lessens your 

 after-labour, of cutting-off, very materially. 



When your frame has been filled, and you are desirous of 

 separating the species, cut off the entire cardboard (imme- 

 diately within the frame) with a penknife, and perform the 

 remainder of your work with finely-pointed scissors. Al- 

 though at first this process may seem to be tedious, a little 

 practice will soon make perfect; whilst the advantages of 

 the system are so obvious, that, when once adopted, it will 

 assuredly never be relinquished. For several years past I 

 have tested it most rigidly (not only in this country but on 

 the continent also), and have attempted no other mode ; and 



