36 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



A NEW SETTING-BOARD. 

 By Geo. 0. Day. 



To those lepidopterists who are dissatisfied with the ordinary 

 method of setting, and their name ought to be legion, it may 

 be of some service if I made generally known, through the pages 

 of the 'Entomologist,' a setting-board of my own contrivance, 

 that I have used for the last seven or eight years with very satis- 

 factory results, both as regards the insects set and the time 

 taken in setting. 



The main difference between my boards and those ordinarily 

 used lies in the substitution of glass for the card-board or 

 tracing-paper braces. I understand that loose pieces of glass 

 are used by some entomologists on the Continent, and probably 

 also at home, but the advantage in my contrivance is that the 

 pieces of glass are hinged on to the sides of the boards. 



A glance at the accompanying illustration will give a general 

 idea of the method. 



fi&. n. 



fxg. m 



Fi.fi. I. 



I will first describe the modus operandi, and afterwards give 

 some particulars of the construction of the board. I may 

 mention that the present form is the result of eight years' trial 

 and improvements. 



Method of Setting. 



The pair of little glass " shutters " are thrown open as shown 

 at aa, Fig. I. (a stout needle with about half an inch of the point 

 end bent at right angles and fixed in a handle is the best kind 

 of instrument to use). The moth or butterfly is then pinned 

 into the groove. In a properly relaxed insect some parts of the 

 wings will naturally lie on the surface of the board, as at b, 

 Fig. I. The glasses are then turned back into their original 

 position, but now they will be covering some part of the wings, 



