INSECTS. Ill 



are phosphorescent, and if they were taken in deep water. 

 And as these animals are very liable to lose their colours by 

 being put in spirits, a careful noting of these should be taken 

 whenever they are caught, as the colours are very evanescent; 

 or, what would be still better, a drawing of the animal should 

 be made. 



INTESTINAL WORMS. Whenever we have killed either a 

 quadruped, bird, or fish, we should carefully examine the sto- 

 mach and intestinal canal of the animal, to see if there are 

 any worms ; indeed, there are few animals without them ; they 

 must also be preserved in spirits. Besides the stomach and 

 intestines, worms are also found in the livers and other parts 

 of the body ; also in the back of skate and various fishes. 



ft 

 INSECTS. 



This class is subject to infinite variety, according to climate 

 and soil. The Entomologist, or the mere collector, must not 

 confine himself to those whose beauty of colouring ren- 

 ders them attractive, but collect all that come in the way. 

 Those species which have wings, and fly around plants, we 

 take by means of gauze nets, as also those which swim in the 

 water. For the construction of these different nets, see plate 

 IV. figs. 7. and 9. See descriptions, p. 75, &c. Those which 

 live on putrid substances, and such as are disagreeable to the 

 touch, are seized with pincers ; they are first put into cam- 

 phorated spirits to render them clean. Trees are the habita- 

 tions of innumerable insects, many of them skulk under the 

 old rotten bark, and others attach themselves to the foliage. 

 A cloth should be spread under the trees, or an umbrella, and 

 the branches shaken with considerable force, when they will 

 foil down, and may then be caught. 



Insects are killed by making a crow-quill into a long point, 

 and dipping it into prussic acid, an incision with it may be 

 made immediately below the head of the insect betwixt the 

 shoulders, which usually produces instant death. But this 

 acid must be used with much caution, because its effects are 

 almost as instantaneous and fatal in the human subject as in 

 the lower animals. When cork cannot be had for lining the bot- 

 toms of the boxes, a layer of bees wax may be used in its stead. 



K2 



