INSECTS. 81 



young mice, or the naked young of birds. If any of these 

 have the misfortune to lose their heads or limbs from force, 

 speedy death is the certain consequence ; but insects, under 

 similar circumstances, it is well known, are capable of surviv- 

 ing a considerable time." 



Butterflies are soon killed by passing a pin through the tho- 

 rax ; but probably the safest way is to adopt Mr Haworth's 

 plan, of making their instant death certain. The pin passed 

 through the thorax of small Moths, generally proves almost 

 instantly fatal to them. 



The best manner of preserving the minute species of Moths, 

 is by pill-boxes, as above stated, each moth being kept in a sep- 

 arate box. We have found the following the best mode of 

 destroying them : - 



A piece of flat hard- wood is taken, and a circular groove 

 cut in it, sufficiently deep to admit the mouth of a tumbler 

 being placed within it. In the centre of the wood, pierce a 

 hole about a third of an inch in diameter in its centre : place 

 the pill box under this tumbler, with the lid off, and the insect 

 will soon creep out : but whether it does so or not, a match 

 well primed with sulphur is lighted and placed into the hole 

 under the centre of the tumbler, which will suffocate the 

 insect in a few seconds. I have also found this an effec- 

 tual method of killing the larger species of Butterflies, and 

 Moths. In piercing them, the pin should be quite perpendi- 

 cular, that no part of their minute frame should be hidden by 

 its oblique position. 



The larger insects of this order are set by braces chiefly. 

 A single one should in the first place be introduced under the 

 wing, near the thorax, as shown in plate IV. fig. I, a a, and a 

 longer brace extending over the wings, as at b b. These 

 should not bear upon the wings, but be ready to rest gently 

 on them, when required. The wings are now elevated to 

 their proper position by the setting needle c, and other braces 

 are used as necessity dictates, in the manner represented at 

 d, e, f, g, and h. The feet and antennae are extended and kept 

 in their places by means of pins; in which operation small 

 braces tire also occasionally used. 



The French Entomologists set Butterflies, Moths, and 

 Sphinges, on a piece of soft-wood, in which they have excavated 



