36 COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS 



in breeding cages, and notes made of dates of capture and condi- 

 tion of specimen, moults, pupation, emergence of imago, etc. 

 Frequently, what appears at the time to be a trivial fact may be an 

 important contribution to the science of entomology, particularly 

 if the specimen be a pest to agriculture. 



Relaxing Dried Specimens. Any insect which has become 

 dried in storage, before being pinned, has to be relaxed before it is 

 handled. We, for years, made use of a relaxing box shown in the 

 accompanying illustration (Fig. 59), and found it very satisfactory. 

 It shows the box and lid in section, A marking the point at which 



FIG. 60. A Schmidt insect box. 



the wire gauze forms a false bottom a few inches from the floor 

 of the box. B shows surface view of the gauze, the opening in the 

 corner affording an opportunity to pour water into the bottom of 

 the box. A little carbolic acid is placed in this water to prevent 

 mould. The insects are left on the gauze over night, with the cover 

 on the box. This will generally cause them to be so relaxed that 

 they can be handled with safety. The box may be made of gal- 

 vanized iron, and this particular box is 9 x 14 inches and 5 inches 

 high, the gauze being placed two and one-half inches from bottom. 

 A glass fruit jar containing some wet blotting paper is a simple 

 relaxing chamber. 



