METHOD OF RELAXING DRIED INSECTS. 83 



ed by Mr Haworth for the larger moths at p. 80. They may 

 also be killed sometimes by placing- them under a tumbler and 

 suffocating them, as recommended at p. 80. Some Entomo- 

 logists put them in scalding water for an instant. 



The contents of the abdomen should always be removed 

 from Dragon Flies, otherwise it will become black and shining 

 through the skin, and destroy the beautiful bands with which 

 they are ornamented. They can be stuffed with cotton on a 

 small roll of paper introduced. If these precautions are at- 

 tended to, the insect will preserve the perfect beauty of its 

 living state. 



The other species of these Orders soon die after being trans- 

 fixed. They may be set by braces and pins, as represented in 

 figures 3. and 4-. of plate IV. 



Some of the Dipterous insects are very perishable in point 

 of colour after death, particularly in the abdomen, the skin of 

 which is very thin. The only way of remedying this is to 

 pierce the abdomen, and after taking out the contents the ca- 

 vity should be filled with a powdered paint the same colour as 

 the living subjects, which will shine through and give it all the 

 appearance of nature. 



METHOD OF RELAXING DRIED INSECTS. 



Insects frequently get stiffened before the Entomologist has 

 leisure to get them set ; and it usually happens that those sent 

 home from foreign countries have been ill set, and require to be 

 placed in more appropriate attitudes after they have fallen into 

 the hands of the scientific collector. They may be relaxed 

 and made as flexible as recently killed specimens by the fol- 

 lowing simple process, from which they can receive no injury . 

 pin them on a piece of cork and place the cork in a large basin 

 or pan of tepid water, and cover the top tight with a damp 

 cloth, taking care that it, is sufficiently high not to injure the 

 insects. In most cases a few hours is sufficient to restore them 

 to their original flexibility, so that they may be easily put in 

 their proper positions. In some instances, three or four days 

 are necessary to relax them thoroughly, so as to set the wings 

 without the risk of breaking them ; no force whatever must 

 be used with any of the members. When set up after being 



