664 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



not fail to employ a breeding-cage, not merely be- 

 cause many rare species are seldom to be procured 

 except in this way, but also on account of the light 

 which the breeding of insects throws on their meta- 

 morphoses ; all the observations made should be 

 carefully recorded, and it will likewise prove of 

 great service if drawings are taken of larvse and 

 pupae, and of the plants on which the former feed. 



Preservation of Insects for transportation. In 

 preserving Coleoptera for transport many may be 

 kept in camphorated spirit ; but such as are hairy 

 had better be pinned down and dried, the pin being 

 always thrust through the right elytron, and if time 

 permit, the legs and antennae should be placed in 

 their natural positions at once ; but, if inconvenient, 

 that can be left for a future time, when the speci- 

 mens are reset for the cabinet. Large species of 

 Coleoptera may be killed by immersion in hot water 

 or spirit, or by chloroform, the legs and antennae 

 can then be folded up, and the specimens dried and 

 placed in separate card- or chip-boxes, with cotton to 

 protect them from injury. All species large enough 

 to be fastened with pins, can be so done and dried, 

 but more time and space are requisite, and the speci- 

 mens are more likely to receive injury ; very small 

 species must be put on little slips of card with gum- 

 tragacanth. 



Euplexoptera and Orthoptera may be preserved 

 in spirits, but they are better set out at once and 

 dried. The pin should be put through the thorax, 

 the wings kept closed, and large species must be 



