Collecting Insects. 7 



of paper. Sometimes strips of glass are used, the weight being 

 enough to hold the wings in place. 



Relaxing Insects. If insects become dry before they are 

 spread there is danger of breaking them. They need softening. 

 This is done by placing them in a moist place. They may be 

 placed on dry paper over wet sand ; or put wet paper into a jar, 

 lay dry paper over this, and place the insects on the dry paper 

 and cap the jar tightly. In a day or two they will be relaxed so 

 they may be safely handled. A few drops of carbolic acid will 

 retard the growth of mold. 



Mounting Microscopic Insects. Minute insects, such as fleas, 

 or small parts of insects, such as an eye, leg, sting of a bee, etc., 

 can readily be mounted and permanently preserved, ready for 

 examination at any time. Such material should first be placed in 

 alcohol. If it is soft material it should first be put into fifty per 

 cent alcohol, in which it should not remain more than half a day ; 

 then it should be transferred to seventy-five per cent alcohol for 

 twenty-four hours, and then kept in strong (ninety-five per cent) 

 alcohol till ready for mounting. Pour a small quantity of oil of 

 cloves into a watch glass and place the object to be mounted in it ; 

 this is to remove the alcohol and make it clear. Then lay it on 

 the center of a slide in the desired position, cover it with a drop 

 of Canada balsam, and lay a clean cover glass on it. Keep it on a 

 level surface, so the cover glass will not slip, for a few days till the 

 balsam has hardened. Label it at one end of the slide and keep 

 in a suitable tray. 



GENERAL PLAN FOR FIELD STUDY OF INSECTS. 



Insects vary so greatly that no one plan of study will serve well 



for all. But the following scheme will serve in a general way for 



the main line of work, which must be varied to suit special cases. 



Find out by direct and continuous observations in the field : 



i. Where does the insect live? On the ground? In water? 



On plants? If the latter, does it stay mostly on the stem or 



on the leaves? 



