120 COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF INSECTS. 



and the shape in which it is formed, its texture, its degree 

 of compactness, and finally, its situation, whether on pal- 

 ings and trunks of trees, amid the leaves of trees, or among 

 leaves fallen to the ground, often afford the characters by 

 which entomologists have distinguished one group from 

 another, and can never fail to excite our admiration at 

 the immense diversity exhibited in the mode in which the 

 continuation of each species is infallibly provided for. 



Cabinets. A well-made cabinet is of the greatest impor- 

 tance, and is not to be obtained without some difficulty : 

 every cabinet-maker will at once take your order, but what 

 is called tradesman-like acumen will prevent his doing you 

 justice. Many parts of the cabinet are not visible from the 

 exterior, and it is almost impossible to persuade a trades- 

 man to use good and seasoned wood for those parts which 

 are not exposed to sight ; it is therefore absolutely neces- 

 sary to inspect the work while in progress, to examine the 

 wood, and ascertain that it is thoroughly seasoned ; if the 

 wood retains any sap it is of no use, as it invariably warps 

 and thus prevents the drawers from moving, and the cabi- 

 net becomes useless. Nothing but the best mahogany 

 must be used ; a great variety of wood has been tried, par- 

 ticularly a kind of resinous cedar, which has a colour and 

 grain much resembling mahogany, but which is far worse 

 for cabinets than the most resinous deal ; after the cabinet 

 has been a short time built, it will become saturated with 

 resin, and all the insects it contains will be speedily spoil- 

 ed. Other cheap woods are also much in use, and are ve- 

 neered in front with mahogany, and the parts which are 

 exposed on taking out a drawer are smeared over with a 

 brownish composition to keep up the deception. 



A cabinet should consist of two tiers of drawers, fifteen 

 or twenty in each tier : if the number be fifteen only, there 



