12 THE BOOK OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



The butterfly, then, being killed by one means or the 

 other, and properly pinned, must then be placed in a 

 collecting-box. These had better be bought, as they are 

 very cheap indeed, and an amateur would probably not 

 succeed very well in making them. They are light deal 

 boxes lined, either at the bottom only or at both top 

 and bottom, with cork. It is of course an advantage to 

 have them as large as possible consistent with going easily 

 into the pocket, and, if both top and bottom are going 

 to be used, care should be taken that they are deep 

 enough to prevent the pins on one side from destroying 

 the insects on the other. 



On a hot day the small butterflies sometimes begin 

 to get stiff before they can be taken home to the 

 setting-boards ; or in the height of the season the 

 numbers taken may make it impossible for all to be set 

 at the time. To obviate this difficulty the dealers sell 

 zinc relaxing-boxes. These are cork lined : hot water is 

 poured over the cork and the superfluous moisture 

 wiped away ; the little moisture remaining in the box 

 keeps the air inside damp for some time. These boxes 

 will not, however, be often needed in the field, and 

 never for the larger butterflies. Others again prefer to 

 take their specimens home alive, each in a small box, 

 and this of course is imperative if there is at any 

 time a desire to obtain eggs from a captured female. 



Breeding. 



There is another way of procuring perfect insects by 

 breeding them ; and there are three stages at which 

 breeding may be commenced, from the egg, from the 

 larva, or from the pupa. The last is the simplest all 

 that has to be done is to keep the pupa as nearly as 

 possible in a state of nature and wait till the imago 



