PREPARING INSECTS. 11 



twelve grains ; crystallized carbolic acid, one drachm ; mineral 

 naptha (or heavy benzine) and strong alcohol, enough to make 

 one quart. I have not stated the quantity of naptha, since 

 there are some varieties of light petroleum in commerce which 

 dissolve in alcohol only to a slight extent. These should not 

 be used. The heavier oils which mix indefinitely with alcohol 

 are the proper ones, and for the two pints of mixture ten to 

 twelve fluid ounces of the naptha will be sufficient. Care 

 should be taken to test the naptha on a piece of paper. If it 

 leaves a greasy stain which does not disappear after a few hours 

 it is not suitable for this purpose. 



" The best form of atomizer is the long, plated, reversible 

 tube ; it should be worked with a gum elastic pipe, having two 

 bulbs to secure uniformity in the current. The atomizing glass 

 tubes and the bottle, which usually accompany the apparatus, 

 are unnecessary ; a common narrow necked two ounce bottle 

 will serve perfectly to hold the fluid." 



Preparing Insects for the Cabinet. Dried insects may be 

 moistened by laying them for twelve or twenty-four hours in 

 a box containing a layer of wet sand, covered with one thick- 

 ness of soft paper. Their wings can then be easily spread. 

 Setting-boards for spreading the wings of insects may be made 

 by sawing deep grooves in a thick board, and placing a strip 

 of pith or cork at the bottom. The groove may be deep enough 

 to allow a quarter of the length of the pin to project above the 

 insect. The setting-board usually consists of thin parallel 

 strips of board, leaving a groove between them wide enough to 

 receive the body of the insect, at the bottom of which a strip 

 of cork or pith should be glued. The ends of the strips should 

 be nailed on to a stouter strip of wood, raising the surface of 

 the setting-board an inch and a half, so that the pins can stick 

 through without touching. Several setting-boards can be made 

 to form shelves in a frame covered with wire gauze, so that 

 the specimens may be preserved from dust and destructive in- 

 sects, while the air may at the same time have constant access 

 to them. The surface of the board should incline a little to- 

 wards the groove for the reception of the insect, as the wings 

 often gather a little moisture, relax and fall down after the 

 insect is dried. " For the proper setting of insects with broad 

 and flattened wings, such as butterflies and moths, a spreading 



