320 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



north-east, I find the insect in March, and I am disposed to 

 think that, in favourable seasons, it would emerge as early as 

 February. 



The two broods vary considerably in appearance and habits. 

 The March brood is much smaller, the ground colour paler, and 

 the fascia more strongly delineated than those appearing in 

 August. The second brood is also much more active than the 

 first ; in fact they are the most torpid and sluggish insects I 

 have ever seen, so unlike all others of the group, which are noted 

 for their activity. 



It would be interesting to hear from others their experience 

 of the time of appearance of this species. From the retiring 

 habits of the early brood and the time of the year at which 

 it emerges, I am disposed to think it has been overlooked in 

 many localities, and would turn up if sought for at the proper 

 period. 



Rose Cottage, Oval Road, Acldiscombe, Oct. 17, 1887. 



A llATIONAL METHOD OF SETTING THE UNDER SIDES 

 OF RHOPALOCERA. 



By Percy Rendall, M.D. 



I HAVE been wishing for some )'ears past to bring prominently 

 before the large section of entomologists, that can be reached 

 through the columns of this Journal, the following suggestions on 

 the subject of exhibiting the under sides of Ehopalocera. 



When collectors wish to display the under side of a butterfly 

 the insect is turned upside down, violence is ofi'ered to Nature, 

 and the artistic eft'ect is destroyed. A pin is too often stuck 

 through its thorax, and its legs, as if in protest against so 

 unnatural a position, stray wildly in all directions in a distorted 

 and quasi-epileptic fashion. The wings of an insect have a natural 

 tendency to convexit}'', from the thorax to the tips ; consequently 

 when reversed they will be found to have a similar concavity in 

 the same axial line, so that, when they dry, collectors with whom 

 "setting is," judged not to be, "absolute waste of time and 

 profitless labour" (Entom. 93), complain that the under sides 

 of their butterflies "spring." What I suggest is this: — Take a 

 leaf out of Nature's book — set them, as they are so often seen. 



