298 



INSECT LIFE. 



serting the head of the pin in the hole in the lower 

 step of the block. This step and the second are used 

 in spacing labels, and the third is used in fixing the 

 height of insects mounted on cardboard points. 



Insects that are too small to be pinned, but not so 

 small that they need to be mounted as microscopic 

 objects, are gummed to the points of narrow 

 and pointed pieces of cardboard, which are 

 mounted on pins (Fig. 264). Another way 

 is to impale the insect on the point of a fine 

 pin, inserting the pin into the lower side of 

 f^nJ«i.! the thorax, and then, after cutting away the 

 lj§j^»j head and the larger part of the pin, to 

 I mount what is left in a narrow strip of firm 

 Fig. 264. blotting paper, which in turn is mounted 

 on a large pin (Fig. 265). If suitable card- 

 board can be obtained for this purpose it is better 

 than blotting paper, but ordinary cardboard is split 

 by the pins. Still another way of mounting small 

 insects is to impale them on the 



1 point of a bent pin which is fastened 

 ,, to another pin, as shown in Fig. 266. 

 -"'''• In preparing these pins the fine one 

 is wound about the coarser one a 

 short distance from the point of the 

 latter, where it is somewhat tapered, 

 the two being held together with 

 pliers ; then the head is cut off from 

 Fig. 265. ^1^^ small pin, and it is shoved up 

 toward the head of the coarse one. If care has been 

 taken to wind the fine pin closely about the larger 

 one, it will fit the latter tightly when pushed into 

 the proper position. 



