ENTOMOLOGICAL SPECIMENS AFFECTED BY VERDIGRIS. 31 



Unquestionably the best method of treating an insect affected 

 b}' verdigris, ajid jcJiich is of sujjicient size, is to immerse it in 

 some grease solvent, the best of which known to me is toluol. 

 The method of using this is described in the ' Entomologist's 

 Record,' vol. xxiv, p. 123, by Mr. P. H. Muschamp, to whose credit 

 the discovery is due. To those to whom this volume is not avail- 

 able I will give Mr. Maschamp's method, which is as follows: 

 " Take three vessels, size according to your needs, pour a certain 

 quantity of toluol into the first, and put one or two butterflies 

 or moths into the same, leave them there for twenty-four hours, 

 and then pass them on to a second bath in the second vessel for 

 another twenty-four hours, and place new subjects into the first 

 bath. On the third day remove insects from the second into the 

 third bath, and from the first to the second. Thus each has three 

 full days of the cleaning process, and comes out of its bath spick 

 and span and wonderfully rejuvenated. I need hardly add that 

 no resetting is required, as the bath does not .in the least relax 

 the patient. The first bath takes out the worst of the fat, the 

 second removes what is left, and the third puts on the final touch 

 of grace." I always adopt this method for species of the size of, 

 say, Peronea cristana, and those over that size, but moths which 

 are smaller do not seem so suitable for treatment by it ; at any 

 rate with them I have not been successful, for the wings are so 

 delicate they get torn, and the cilife especially are liable to be 

 clogged and broken by the weight of the toluol upon them when 

 they are taken out of the bath ; these, therefore, I invariably 

 relax by the following method and reset on silver pins : During 

 the winter I look carefully at the specimens in the cabinet, pick 

 out those which are showing signs of being afi'ected by verdigris, 

 and set them aside. I then get an ordinary zinc, cork-lined, 

 relaxing box, well saturate the cork, pour out the surplus water, 

 and put in the moths I want to operate upon. I usually treat 

 from one to five dozen at a time, the quantity depending upon 

 the time I have to spare. 



When the specimens have been in the relaxing box twelve 

 hours I examine them, and those that are so far relaxed that by 

 blowing gently on the wings these move freely I know are ready 

 for the next process, which consists of removing the old pin. 

 To do this I take up one with a pair of forceps, and stick the pin 

 firmly in a sheet of cork, next I take a very fine pair of forceps 

 with narrow, sharp points, carefully place the points one on each 

 side of the pin immediately over the thorax, press them gently 

 together so that they touch the pin on each side, and then press 

 lightly downwards on the thorax itself. If the specimen is 

 sufficiently relaxed a very slight pressure will loosen it on the 

 pin, and oue can then, by taking hold of the upper part of the 

 pin with the right hand, with the left thumb and index finger 

 grasp the moth gently and deftly underneath the wings and 



