42 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



The setting-board, when filled, should "be put away 

 into a secure, dust-proof, and dry place j and in a few 

 days, more or less, according to the dryness or otherwise 

 of the atmosphere, the butterflies will have dried and 

 set in their positions, and are then ready for transference 

 to the store-box or cabinet. 



The choice of this receptacle is a serious question for 

 the beginner, who is often in want of a guide to the 

 judicious expenditure of his money, if money he means 

 to spend in this pursuit. To preserve insects, it is not 

 absolutely necessary to have either a cabinet or the 

 regularly-made store-boxes ; for, with a little contriv- 

 ance, any close-shutting, shallow box may be extem- 

 porized into a store-box. The bottom may either be 

 lined with sheet-cork (such as is used by shoemakers) 

 which, however, is a rather dear commodity or com- 

 mon wine-corks may be sliced up, and cut into little 

 square patches that may be attached in straight rows to 

 the bottom of the box with strong gum or other cement. 

 The first specimens, the nucleus of the future great col- 

 lection, can be kept here well enough, till a real cabinet 

 can be compassed. 



A cabinet, however, need not be bought all at once j 

 it may be arranged to grow with the collection and, it 

 may be, with the collector too by having one or two 

 drawers made at a time ; till, in course of time, a suf- 

 ficient number is obtained, when the whole may be 

 fitted into a case at a small additional expense, and 

 then there is a first-rate cabinet complete ; for, to make 

 this plan really advantageous, the drawers should be 

 well made and of good material. Of course, all the 

 drawers must be made to the same " gauge," to insure 

 perfect fitting when the cabinet is made up. 



These drawers may be made by any clever joiner, but 

 as their construction is peculiar, and not easily described, 

 it is necessary, either that the maker should be accus- < 

 tomed to this speciality, or that he be furnished with 

 a pattern, either by buying a single drawer at a dealer's, 

 where that can be done, by borrowing one out of a ^ 



