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raens in the school room. An equipment for collecting is simple and 

 can be made by an ingenious teacher or pupil. 



Collecting Net: 



The ring should be of iron or brass wire, ten to twelve inches in 

 diameter, fastened to a wooden handle about three feet long. The 

 bag can be made of cheese cloth or unbleached muslin. 



The Kiting Bottle: 



Take a wide-mouthed bottle holding four or six ounces, or for large 

 moths, a Mason self sealing fruit jar. Put into the bottle a cubic 

 inch of cyanide of potassium and cover with water. Add enough 

 plaster of Paris to entirely soak up the water. Keep the bottle open 

 until entirely dry, and then keep securely corked. 



Directions for mounting and preserving insects can be found in 

 "Insect Life," by John Henry Comstock, a book which is full of sug- 

 gestion for the work. 



The most valuable study can be made by keeping insects in breed- 

 ing cages. These can be simply made by tying mosquito netting or 

 Swiss muslin over the top of a box, or by putting a lamp chimney or 

 broken fruit jar on the top of a flower pot filled with soil. The soil 

 should be moist and the food material of the larvae renewed every 

 day. Larvae in different stages of development should be secured to 

 compare markings of different moults. 



The movements, manner of eating, amount of food consumed, moult- 

 ing, varied markings of different stages, protective and attractive 

 coloration, means of defense as spines, bristles, secreted liquid 

 the sluggish condition before transformation, will be of continued 

 interest day by day. 



Larvae of different insects should be collected and carefully ob- 

 served. A record should be kept of the different species, as to time 

 of collecting, of going into pupa stage, and of changing into the adult. 

 The larvae on the tomato plant, cabbage, milkweed, wild carrot, horse- 

 chestnut, maple, oak, will supply valuable material. The larval, 

 pupa and adult stages should be associated so that one would recall 

 the others. It is well, but not necessary, for the children to be fa- 

 miliar with the scientific names; they should know the scientific facts 

 and their interest will lead to deeper study. 



There is so much that is interesting in pond life that an aquarium is 

 a valuable addition to the school room. Suitable jars or fish globes 

 or battery jars can be secured at moderate prices, but a fruit jar can 

 be used. The plant and animal life in the water will demonstrate the 

 interdependence of one upon the other. If the aquarium is properly 

 stocked the equilibrium will be preserved; the plants will keep the 

 water pure. 



