THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 257 
the largest boxes used and raise the lids on one side, so as 
to leave a very narrow opening to admit the fumes of sulphur ; 
I then pile the boxes one upon another in a pyramidal heap, 
and over the pile I place a bell-shaped glass, usually six 
inches in diameter, but the size will vary according to the 
number of boxes; I then take a little powdered sulphur on 
the end of a thin piece of flat wood (a match in fact), light 
the sulphur, and place it beneath the bell-glass,—this process 
will sometimes require repeating once or twice, until the 
sulphur will no longer burn beneath the glass; it is then 
sufficiently charged. In this condition I leave it for about 
half an hour. I then empty the conteuts of the pile of boxes 
into two or three larger ones, recharge the bell-glass, under 
which I place the boxes of insects, and leave them until the 
following morning: the insects will then be in a proper 
condition for setting. Every insect will be found in the most 
perfect condition: pubescent ones, such as humble-bees, 
have not a hair disturbed, and they can be pinned without a 
chance of any liquid oozing out of the thorax and matting 
the pubescence. My method of setting and drying specimens 
is as follows:—For the latter process I use a drying-cage, 
with door and back covered with net (perforated zinc would 
answer as well, if not better): the cage has several setting- 
boards resting upon slips of wood, and corked on one side, 
the cork being half au inch thick, thus allowing the insects 
to be pinned at a proper height. The setting process is very 
easy and simple: having run a pin through the thorax, 
slightly before the middle of its disk, I mount it on to the 
setting-board, running the pin into the cork, until the under 
side of the thorax very nearly touches the cork; the next 
thing to be done is to arrange the legs in a natural position 
by the aid of fine plyers and setting-needles, securing the 
limbs in position, when necessary, with pins; on each side 
of the specimen I place a table for expanding the wings 
upon; this is simply a strip of good, stout Bristol-board, that 
is, stout card. ‘These tables must be of various sizes, and 
used according to the size of the wings of the insect. 
Having fixed the tables firmly, I place the wings upon them 
with a setting-needle, and having, by a little manipulation, if 
necessary, hooked the wings together, push them forwards 
into the required position, holding them there with a needle, 
2L 
