36 . NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



red, which will shine brilliantly when varnished, and will 

 excite the curiosity of every one. If you can not find 

 wing-covers enough of this insect, take those also of Ti 

 ger Beetles, Lady-bugs, Carabi, Cetonias, and a hundred 

 others with bright colors, and you will have a variety of 

 colors such as Nature only can paint, and such as can not 

 fail to captivate the eye of every observer, or to reward you 

 for your trouble. Such occupation would form a delight 

 ful amusement for the long winter evenings ; and while 

 storms and snows are raging without, what more genial 

 employment than to be admiring the creatures of a sunny 

 clime and studying the character and uses of these spangled 

 ornaments of Nature s tropical dress ! 



Now, in order to accomplish this, you must amuse your 

 selves during the summer by catching Beetles and preserv 

 ing them. You will find hundreds of them running in the 

 roads, or concealed under stones, or sitting on the leaves of 

 plants, or flying in the air. If you keep your windows open 

 during the warm nights also, those insects which arc active 

 only at night will fly into the room toward the light, and 

 may thus be taken by the hand, for none of the Beetles are 

 venomous. But in order to preserve them and make them 

 die as quick as possible, you must be provided with a wide- 

 mouthed bottle (a horse-radish vial answers this purpose 

 very well), containing a small quantity of whisky or dilute 

 alcohol, and put them into it- as soon as caught. When 

 they are dead take them out, and stick a long pin or needle 

 through the right wing and body, so far that their legs can 

 not touch the bottom, and then place them in a box the 

 bottom of which is lined with beeswax or cork. In order 

 to prevent the entrance of destructive living insects, it is 

 also necessary to stick a pin in each corner of the box, with 

 a piece of sponge on it, which you must from time to time 

 saturate with spirits of camphor. Beetles may be also kept 

 in a vial of whisky or alcohol, and thus be preserved for 



