74 



cases, and the elytra and wings extended, as 

 shown plate fig. 2. To set insects well, requires 

 considerable practice, and would perhaps be too 

 great a tax upon the patience of those who col- 

 lect for their friends. It is therefore needless 

 to trouble them, as the entomologist can always 

 relax the insects sent, and in most cases would 

 prefer setting them himself. But they must be 

 pierced as upright as possible. Small moths re- 

 quire very great care in piercing. After being 

 killed by means of sulphur, they should be 

 shaken out of the box into the palm of the hand, 

 and the pin passed through the thorax, (without 

 touching the insect with the fingers,) the head 

 of the pin inclining very much over the head of 

 the insect j by this means, when the pin is 

 placed upright on the setting board, the moth 

 will be in such a position, that it will be only 

 necessary to elevate the wings slightly with the 

 setting needle, and the insect will be completely 

 set, without the aid of braces. 



Insects which have been pierced, are very 

 easily relaxed, by sticking them on a piece of 



