NOTES UPON SETTING LEPIDOPIERA UNPINNED. 185 



that one might expect such a result, because this is the natural 

 line followed b}' the up and down motion of the wings in flight, 

 and they move much more freely in this direction than in any 

 other. Indeed I have on many occasions set out a Nepticula on 

 the board without placing it into the groove at all, or employing 

 any means whatever to keep the body still, such a delicate 

 operation being utterly impossible without a due regard to this 

 important matter, and I must urge upon all who wish to succeed 

 the imperative necessity of careful thought and attention to 

 these details of manipulation. Large insects Avill require some 

 little modification in the process, such as a couple of pins 

 placed against the shoulders, and sometimes cross ones to 

 keep the abdomen down, but the principle is the same for all. 

 An hour's practice will teach these points far better than I can 

 describe them. Our Nepticula being now properly set, the next 

 thing to consider is the mounting. 



Mounting. 



This, of course, is not commenced until the Nepticula is 

 dry. Take a pin (say a No. 20), cut off the head, and with the 

 forceps turn down at right angles a short piece of the pin, a little 

 shorter than the body of the insect. The Nepticula should now 

 be unbraced and placed on its back on the edge of the setting- 

 board, so that its antennae may project over and not get broken. 

 Stick the bent pin into a little block of cork, which will serve 

 for a handle, and then dip the bent portion into a solution of 

 sliellac in spirit, and apply the pin to the ventral surface of the 

 thorax and abdomen, so that the small bent portion points to the 

 head of the insect. If the shellac is sufficiently liquid the pin 

 will instantly adhere, and with the forceps may be stuck into the 

 setting-board to dry. As this drying process goes on a little 

 attention will be required to keep the insect in a horizontal 

 position. Tbis is easily accomplished by occasional touches with 

 the setting needle. If the shellac is too liquid it will penetrate 

 the body, and perhaps spread to the wings of the insect, which 

 will then have the appearance of having become greasy; if not 

 sufficiently liquid, the adhesion of the insect to the pin will be 

 imperfect and insecure. A few trials will soon disclose the 

 linppy medium. If the shellac is in a watch glass or any very 

 open vessel a drop or two of spirit must be occasionally added 



ENTOM. — JULY, 1885. 2 B 



