SUGGESTIONS FOR THE MOTH COLLECTOR 



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for pinning insects; they are too thick and they corrode very soon, covering 

 the specimens with verdigris. Regular insect pins are desirable as they are 

 very slender and do not corrode so quickly. These may be obtained of any 

 dealer in entomological supplies. 



All moths should be pinned through the middle of the thorax, which is that 

 part of the body just behind the head. 



Material Needed for a Medium Sized Spreadinc-board 



1. Two strips of pine or other soft wood 18 inches long, i>^ inches wide 

 and }4 inch thick. 



2. One strip of wood 18 inches long, $J4 inches wide and >^ inch thick. 



3. Two cleats ^}4 inches wide, K inch high and K inch thick; and two 

 cleats one inch wide and as high and thick as the others. 



4. A strip of cork or linoleum 17 inches long and a little less than an inch 

 wide. 



To construct the spreading board take the two narrow strips of wood, place 

 them one-fourth inch apart and on the under side fasten them across the ends 

 to the longer cleats. Then on the same side as the cleats tack the piece of 

 cork or linoleum over the space between the strips of board; on each side 

 midway the boards fasten the two smaller cleats. Fig. 2 shows a cross-section 



of the spreading board just in front of these 

 two middle cleats. Now it is ready for the 

 bottom board which will fit exactly if directions 

 are followed ,and this completes it. The space 

 between the two upper boards is wide enough to 

 take in the body of the moth or butterfly. The 

 cork or linoleum below the space will hold firmly 

 the pin on which the butterfly is impaled. The 

 cleats hold the top and bottom boards apart and 

 so protects the points of the pins. Spreading 

 boards may be made much smaller or much 

 larger to suit moths of diflFerent sizes; the space 

 between the top boards must always be large 

 enough to admit the body of the insect. 



To use the spreading board: insert the pin 

 with the butterfly on it into the linoleum just 

 far enough so that the body of insect will be 

 in the space between the boards up to the 

 wings, Fig. i. Place the wings out flat on the 

 board and fasten them there with narrow 

 strips of paper pinned across them. While 

 held down by these strips of paper arrange 

 them so that the hind margins of the front wings 

 shall cover the front margins of the hind wings 

 and shall be in a line at right angles to the body; 

 then pin large pieces of paper over the rest 

 of the wings. Sometimes isinglass is used 

 instead of paper to hold the wings down. 



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