14 N. S. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



pin after the insect has dried, the body is liable to break. 



Some collectors place the insect on its back on a smooth board or a shoe-box cover 

 and arrange the wings while in that position. A stretching board is shown on Plate I, 

 Fig 3. 



If it should happen that you can't stretch your insects within a day or two after 

 catching them, you can re-soften them at any time — even in mid-winter — by putting 

 them in a small paper bag which can be put into a tight fruit jar containing wet moss. 

 Leave in a warm place for two or three days, and then stretch according to previous dir- 

 ections. If left too long in this moist bottle the insects will mold. 



After having dried on the stretching board the insects should be mounted in some 

 attractive, yet permanent way. While one can use box covers or spool boxes, filling 

 them with absorbent cotton, cutting glass to fit, and finishing with passe partout bind- 

 ing, it is much more satisfactory to buy Riker Mounts. They can be had in various 

 sizes but a convenient size is 8x12 inches. Mounts of this size cost 40 cents each, and 

 the purchaser pays postage. Order by parcel post from Geo. M. Hendry Co., Toronto. 

 Send say 20 cents extra for postage, and they will refund any surplus left over. Platel, 

 Fig. 4 shows Lepidoptera mounted in this manner.. Many collectors, however, prefer 

 to leave the insects mounted on pins, as in Plate l.Fig.l. See Plate II, Figs. 1-4 for cor- 

 rect place to i nsert pin. Common pins are not satisfactory for this work. It is better to 

 get black insect pins, which cost 15 cents per 100. If your book-seller can't supply 

 them, order from Geo. M. Hendry Co., Toronto, enclosing two cents extra for postage. 

 No. 2 is a convenient size. 



Do not mount beetles, flies and other insects in the same box with butterflies. Don't 

 include spiders with insects. Don't put caterpillars in your cyanide bottle. Give 

 them a chance to grow under your observation. Get a good insect book and find out 

 what to look for in the field. Then look for it. Don't stretch beetles. They should be 

 mounted in their natural position. 



During the winter, one can start an insect collection. Watch for cocoons, on trees 

 in grooves of rough bark, on board fences, and elsewhere. Put these in boxes or pickle 

 bottles until spring. During the thaw in winter, one might find larvae or pupae in moss 

 or under old leaves in the woods. Wood-borers may be found in old wood or inside the 

 stems of elder, raspberry, etc. Trace hollow stems of currant bushes down to the roots. 

 These "hollows" are made by the current borer. 



Get acquainted with our commonest insect pests. The commonest moths flying 

 in August and September are the cut-worm moths. Keep cutworms in boxes of earth 

 next summer, and try to discover which larva develops into each adult form. Use avail- 

 able free sources of information. Get the annual reports of the Provincial Entomolo- 

 gist, Truro, and of the Dominion Entomologist, Ottawa. 



For names of species, you can get assistance from the Agricultural College, or the 

 Normal College, Truro. Besides, Mr. Arthur Gibson, Experimental Farm, Ottawa, and 

 Mr. E. Chesley Allan, Truro, N. S., have kindly offered to name insects sent to them. 



Among helpful books which should be in every school library are: — 



Insect Life, by J. H. Comstock, Price $1 . 75 



Moth Book, by Holland, Price 4 . 00 



Butterfly Book, by Holland, Price 4 . 00 



Insect Book, by Holland, Price 4 . 00 



In each case the purchaser pays transportation charges. You may get these 

 through your local book-seller or from MacClelland & Goodchild, Toronto. 



