92 COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF INSECTS. 



hours without a chance of shelter ; and a cape made of 

 cloth, and waterproofed with Raper's patent, is very ser- 

 viceable in a long wet walk ; it does not oppress the wearer 

 by preventing the escape of perspiration. The best colour 

 is green : as to shape of coat, the common shooting jacket 

 is by far the most convenient. There should be ample 

 cross pockets outside, on the hip ; also several breast poc- 

 kets, particularly two (at least) very small ones, for glass 

 vials containing spirits to stand upright in : these should 

 be inside the left breast of the coat, so that the right hand 

 can conveniently reach them. Close to these vial-pockets, 

 and sewed into the stuff of the coat, should be a large pin- 

 cushion, containing two or three different sizes of pins, so 

 arranged, in three columns, that the hand might at once 

 take of either kind without the assistance of the eye to 

 direct it. Two sizes of pins are all that are generally 

 required ; but a third kind, very slender indeed, is used 

 for very minute moths. 



There are two shops in London, and perhaps more, at 

 which pins aie sold expressly for the use of entomologists : 

 these are, Durnford's, in Gracechurch Street, and Hale's, 

 in the Dover Road ; but the art of making pins is not yet 

 arrived at sufficient perfection to satisfy the entomologist. 

 The universal fault is, that the heads come off, and then 

 the insect on the pin cannot be moved without great risk. 



The principal implements of the collector are boxes and 

 nets. The boxes should be of mahogany, opening readily, 

 on brass hinges ; length seven inches, breadth four inches, 

 depth two inches; the top and bottom should be lined 

 with fine soft cork, and covered with white paper. The 

 pockets of a shooting jacket will readily carry three or four 

 such boxes as these. Besides these boxes, there should be 

 two long cylindrical tin boxes for the caterpillars of Lepi- 

 doptera : the tin not only keeps the caterpillars cool, but 



