60 
ON KILLING AND 
The flying insects which have been pierced, 
are very easily relaxed, by sticking them on a 
piece of cork, and letting the cork float in a 
bason half filled with water, taking care that 
no part of the insect touches the cork. If the 
bason be covered with a damp cloth, they will 
relax quicker. Small delicate insects not 
pierced with a pin may be laid on damp blot- 
ting paper or flannel, and placed on the float- 
ing cork ; beetles, &c. may be speedily relaxed 
by putting them into hot water for a few mi- 
nutes. Another mode is to place them in a 
vessel with spirits of wine at the bottom, and 
closing it very carefully to prevent evaporation. 
By this method they are easily relaxed, and 
may be kept in this atmosphere any length of 
time without getting mouldy. 
If a leg or any part of an insect be broken it 
should immediately be gummed on, and on no 
account whatever should the vile practice of 
supplying limbs from another insect be adopted. 
Mouldy insects may be cleaned by brushing 
them with camel’s hair pencils of different de- 
grees of stiffness, dipped in hot water. Ano- 
ther plan is to take equal parts of ether and 
eau de Cologne and apply the mixture with a 
camel’s hair pencil^ but only to dark insects. 
When insects in the cabinet or boxes are found 
