98 APPENDIX 



PREPARING SKELETONS. If the pupils wish to study 

 skeletons, they may be prepared as follows : Remove all 

 skin, viscera, and flesh possible; boil the skeleton for 40 

 minutes in a soap solution, one part, and water four parts ; 

 boil again 30 minutes, in equal parts of the soap solution 

 and water; rinse the bones in cool water, clean and dry 

 them. The soap solution is made as follows : mix 200 cc. 

 of water, 12 g. saltpeter, 75 g. hard, white soap, and heat 

 until all is dissolved. Then add 150 cc. of strong am- 

 monia. 



COLLECTING AND REARING INSECTS. Insects are the 

 most convenient and easy to rear and observe of all animals. 

 They can be studied with apparatus made at home with 

 very little cost. If all the practical work in a course in 

 zoology should be done with insects and birds very satis- 

 factory results might be obtained, although such a course 

 would be unbalanced. In discussing the subject of collect- 

 ing and rearing insects, the author will quote freely from 

 " Insect Life " by Professor J. H. Comstock. 



The articles necessary in rearing and studying insects are 

 a net, killing bottle, pins, cork, boxes, and aquarium jars. 



NET. Find a broom handle and make a groove, about 

 6 inches long and deep enough to receive a lead pencil, on 

 each side of it at the larger end (Fig. 3, a). Then obtain 

 a piece of No. 3 galvanized wire, 3 feet 6 inches long, and 

 bend it in the form of a circle, leaving about 6 inches' at 

 each end bent back to be laid in the grooves on each side 

 of the handle (Fig. 3 6). Wind spool wire closely and 

 tightly about the stick over the ends of the wire, until 

 securely fastened. Buy J of a yard of heavy sheeting, and 

 fold it over the wire ring double. Then, out of f of a yard 

 of cheese cloth, make a bag not quite as deep as your 



