40 FIFTH ANNUAL REPOET 



Preparatory to corking; the glass for the specimens assigned to it, tlie spaces re- 

 quired for theni are to be ascertained by ai-ranging them in order on a cork surface, or 

 otherwise. On a sheet of paper of tlie size of the glass, perpendicular lines, of the 

 number of the rows and at their proper distances, are to be drawn, and cross lines 

 equal in number to the insects contained in the rows. The distances of these lines will 

 be uniform, unless smaller specimens are to occupy some portion of the case, when they 

 may be graduated to the required proportion. With the sheet ruled in this manner and 

 placed beneath the glass, the points where the corks are to be applied are indicated by 

 the intersections of the lines. The sheet, marked with the fiimily of the insects for 

 which it was used, and with the numbers designating its divisions, may be laid aside 

 for future use in the preparation of other cases for which it may be suitable. In a 

 series of unbound cases in mj^colleition, in which the glasses measure llxU^ inches, 

 I have used for my Lepidoptera and lain aside the following scales, the citation of which 

 will also serve to show the capacity of the cases : 3x8, Catocalas ; 2x7 and 3x9, 

 Sphingida3; 4x11 to 4x1-4, Bombycidaa ; 5x13 to Gxl6, NoctuidiB ; 8x1(5 and 8x20, 

 Lj^cajnidiB and Tortricidaj. 



The unbound cases above referred to are inexpensive frames, made by myself, of 

 quarter-inch white wood or pine, the cornei's mitred, glued and nailed with | inch 

 brads, lined within with white paper, (better with tin-foil), and covered without with 

 stout manilla paper. The glasses are cut of the size of the frame, and when placed in 

 position thereon, are appressed closely to it by laying upon them, near eacli corner, a 

 heavy weight, and strips of an enameled green paper, cut to the width of one inch, are 

 pasted over their edges, extending a little beyond the thickness of the frame, and 

 brought downward over the outside of the frame. On its back, two gum labels, indi- 

 cating the insects inclosed, are placed at uniform heights (seven and twelve inches), 

 when, if all has been neatly done, they present a tasteful appearance upon a shelf. 

 When there is reason to believe that the case will need to be opened for the change or 

 addition of specimens, it will be found convenient to employ, for the fastening of the 

 left-hand side of the upper glass, paper lined with a thin muslin, to serve as a hinge 

 when the other sides have been cut. 



Should it become desirable to bind these cases, outside frames may be constructed 

 after the plans above given, with the omission of the inside quarter-inch, (the equiva- 

 lent of these frames), in which these may be placed and held in position by two or 

 three screws inserted in their sides. 



A similar case, used by Mr. Titian Peale of Washington, is de- 

 scribed by Dr. Brackenridge Clemens (Smithsonian E,ep., 1858, p. 196). 



To hold the pins, various substances may be used, but nothing 

 surpasses cork. It may be obtained in sheets, 12x3|x:|: inches, made 

 expressly. It is for sale by several parties in the East, and is adver- 

 tised by the Naturalists' Agency, Salem, Mass., and by Mr. Akhurst. 

 The pith of Elder, Broom corn or Indian corn may be used by those 

 who have time to properly cut it into uniform and square pieces ; but 

 it should first be boiled to extract the saccharine matter it contains, 

 and afterward very thoroughly dried; otherwise it will corrode the 

 pins. Boiler felt, properly split, has the advantage of cheapness, and 

 is valuable. Where none of these materials can be obtained, two 

 sheets of stiff paper, stretched on each side of a frame ^ of an inch 

 deep, and supported on a ledge of the same depth, may be fastened 

 into the bottom of the box; and even bog peat, or a couple of thick- 

 nesses of blanket, will serve a good purpose. All these linings may 

 be dispensed with in an emergency, and the pins stuck into the soft 

 wood, especially if cut across the grain: i. e., horizontally from the 

 tree. 



