70 



into boiling water ; but this mode is objection- 

 able for bright coloured or hairy insects. When 

 taken out of the water they must be laid on 

 blotting paper. The most preferable method of 

 killing beetles, &c. is to place them in a tin box, 

 or cannister, and then immerse it in boiling 

 water, taking care that no water find its way into 

 the inside ; by this means the insects are not 

 only quickly killed, but their colours are pre- 

 served, and the juices partly absorbed ; which 

 renders them much less liable to mold or grease. 



With regard to the larger kinds of butterflies^ 

 moths, and dragon-flies, when taken, they should 

 be sharply pressed with the finger and thumb 

 on the underside of the thorax, hard enough to 

 kill, but not to injure them ; taking particular 

 care not to touch the upper side of the wings. 

 A pin should then be passed through the upper 

 side of the thorax in an upright position, (as 

 shewn pi. fig. 3.). Those which are more tena- 

 cious of life, are instantly killed by dipping a 

 pin in aquafortis, and piercing the insect in the 

 breast. Small moths, jiies, &c., are instantly 



