Collecting and Preserving. 169 



Collecting and Preserving Insects, continued, 

 bottom of the trough is left about a half-inch wide, and it is 

 covered beneath with a strip of cork. The body of the in- 

 sect is now placed lengthwise the crack, a pin is thrust through 

 the thorax, or middle division of the insect, into the cork, and 

 the wings are laid out on the sides of the trough. The wings 

 are held in place by strips of card-board pinned over them, 

 care being taken not to stick the pins through the wings. In 

 about two weeks the insects will be dry and stiff. 



Insects must be kept in tight boxes to keep other insects 

 from devouring them. Cigar boxes are good. Tight boxes 

 with glass covers are generally used by large collectors. 

 Place sheets of cork in the bottom of the box to receive the 

 pins. If insects attack the specimens, expose them in a tight 

 box to vapors of bisulphide of carbon or benzine. 



