Collecting and Preserving Dragonfijes 13. 



this should be borne in mind, larger species, or the most recently captured 

 specimens being placed in the lower drawers. Place envelopes in the 

 drawers upright or inclining, and resting on their long edge, but not piled 

 up flat, as in the latter case the circulation of warm air about each envelope 

 will be interfered with. Do not put all of one day's catch in one drawer, 

 but, on the basis of size, distribute the papered specimens in two or more 

 drawers. A little experience will teach one when the specimens can be safely 

 removed for permanent packing. In actual practice the writer empties the 

 drawers only as the acquisition of new material requires that room be made 

 for it. Specimens are not injured if left for several days in the drier. 



The length of time required to dry specimens is dependent on the size 

 (bulkiness) of the specimens themselves, and on the atmospheric conditions. 

 Small agrionines such as Argia and Enallagma will sometimes be dry at the 

 end of 12 hours, and I have found bulkier things, such as the libellulines, 

 dry in 24 hours. 



The packing of papered specimens. — Cigar boxes make as convenient and 

 safe receptacles for packing dried material as any other. If cigar boxes 

 are dipped or otherwise thoroughly saturated with a mixture of equal parts 

 of crude creosote and creolin their contents, if taken directly from the drying 

 box, will be free from the attacks of ants and other pests. A small quantity 

 of napthaline flakes should be placed in the bottom of the box and covered 

 with a piece of paper or cotton wadding. Boxes should be treated with the 

 creosote-creolin mixture several weeks or even months before specimens are 

 put in them. 



In packing material in boxes, put in pieces of cotton wadding at frequent 

 intervals cut to the size of the box, building the box up in this way in layers. 

 This will give a certain elasticity to the mass, and prevent shaking about, 

 and the sheets of cotton so interspersed will prevent the envelopes packing 

 and jamming together at one end of the box. 



It is an easy matter to accumulate a lot of cigar boxes of the same size, 

 and if this is done one can arrange a space for them in a trunk or suit case 

 more advantageously than if boxes of various sizes and shapes are used. 



Pinning specimens. — As has been said, this subject will not be discussed 

 in detail, but one remark on pinning specimens may be permitted. The 

 writer has long since ceased to relax specimens for pinning except in ex- 

 ceptional cases, such as those having highly or densely colored wings. In 

 the great majority of cases the specimens are taken directly from the enve- 

 lopes and pinned without any treatment, the Zygoptera vertically between 

 the front wings with a smooth No. i pin, the Anisoptera laterally through 

 the bases of the hind legs, close up to the body, with a No. i or No. 2 or 

 rarely a No. 3 pin for the largest species. Specimens so pinned require less 

 room and are in better condition for critical study. Of course this method 

 is not recommended for material designed largely or solely for public dis- 

 play purposes. 



Preserving specimens in alcohol. — The colors of dragonflies may be well 

 or almost perfectly preserved in full strength alcohol. Such specimens should 

 be placed in alcohol while alive or at once after being killed and the vials 



