70 THREE KINGDOMS. 



the temperature and moisture is controlled by a pipe that 

 connects the interior of the box with the outside air. In 

 four weeks the most hardened specimen has never failed 

 to relax. 



Your insects may now be pinned into cedar cases, 

 made air-tight, and guarded by lumps of camphor gum. 

 In addition to these precautions, all specimens should be 

 subjected to a rigid quarantine of a month before being 

 transferred to the collection. Even then the cases must 

 be carefully examined every month, and any indications 

 of danger must be regarded. If such appear, pour a few 

 drops of chloroform into the case, and close tue cover. 

 This will drive the destructive creatures into sight from 

 crank and cranny. Kill them, preserving one or two for 

 specimens, and renew your previous precautions. A 

 simpler, and as effectual a method, is to give your mount- 

 ed insects, cases and all, a thorough baking in the oven, 

 but this also requires great care, as the heat will spoil 

 some kinds. 



Mr. E. S. Morse gives a good device for arranging an 

 insect-box for the cabinet. It consists of a light wooden 

 frame like a slate-frame, with paper stretched upon the 

 upper and lower surfaces. Dampen the paper and glue 

 it to the frame, and when the paper dries, it will contract 

 and become as tight as a drum-head. Inside the box, 

 upon two sides, fasten cleats, and let their top edges be 

 about a quarter of an inch above the bottom. Rest the 

 paper-covered frame upon these cleats. The bottom of 

 the box should be covered with soft pine to receive the 

 points of the pins. The space under the frame should 

 be dusted with snuff and camphor to keep out insects. 



But, after having tried many methods, I have been 

 best pleased with the appearance of insects that I have 

 set up on separate papered blocks of wood, such as are 



