550 ENTOMOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, &C. 



difficult task of clearing the skeleton of its muscular co- 

 vering, and its internal cavity of its contents, and then of 

 stuffing it and replacing its perished eyes by glass ones 

 of the proper colour, is a necessary process with every 

 individual. Happily the Entomologist, from the small- 

 ness of his game and tli nature of their integument, is 

 usually spared this labour. There are some few insects, 

 however, in which a process in some degree analogous 

 is requisite, if the beauty of the specimens be a conside- 

 ration. Thus the abdomen of dragon-jlies is very apt to 

 lose its colour, and that of the Meloes to shrink up, if 

 left in their natural state: these therefore should be 

 eviscerated ; which may be done by slitting the abdomen 

 longitudinally on the under side, then carefully removing 

 its contents, and stuffing it with cotton. In the former, 

 a small straw or stalk of hay may be used, which will 

 prevent the fractures to which that part, when dry, is so 

 liable. Spiders, and a few apterous genera, as well as al- 

 most all larvce, as they usually shrink up, in drying, into a 

 shapeless mass, destitute of every character dependent on 

 colour or form, require to be preserved in a different man- 

 ner. They may all be very well kept in rectified spirits of 

 wine mixed with water, in the proportion of three parts 

 of the former to one of the latter. Each, suspended by 

 a thread, should be put in a separate very small labelled 

 phial. Larger spiders, such as Mygale aviculare, &c., 

 when suffered to dry, though the abdomen shrinks, do 

 not wholly lose their characters, and are often kept in 

 cabinets : but if preserved in spirits, they may be put 

 into larger wide-mouthed bottles, suspended at different 

 heights, with a label on the outside opposite to each spe- 

 cies. Mr. Abbott of Georgia had an excellent method 



