196 METHOD OF COLLECTING 



paled insects, invert the mug in a deep basin, into 

 which pour boiling water till it is covered, holding 

 it down with a knife, &c., that the expansion of the 

 included air may not overturn it. In two minutes, 

 or less, all the insects will be found dead, and not 

 at all wetted. If the sticks do not exactly fit, they 

 may be wedged in with a piece of cork. Professoi 

 Peck, who used to put minute insects into the hol- 

 low of a quill, stopped with a piece of wood made 

 to fit, killed them instantaneously by holding ill 

 over the flame of a candle." * 



When the insects are killed, the next thing is to 

 prepare them for being placed in the cabinet, The 

 entomologist should have at hand a pincushion sup- 

 plied with entomological pins, called short whites. 

 The pin should be pierced through the middle ol 

 the thorax, forcing it sufficiently through, so that 

 enough may be projecting to pierce the cork of the 

 drawer, and hold the insect sufficiently firm. The 

 insect, to look well, should be nearly close to the 

 paper, but at such a distance as the legs do nofo 

 touch the bottom, as they are thereby liable to be 

 broken. 



Some of the continental collectors have the insect 

 forced up to nearly the head of the pin, so that they 

 may examine it with a microscope without remo- 

 ving the glass lid. This, however, is liable to the 



Kirby and Spcnce, Introduction to Entomology, iv. p. -VJ9. 



