ANIMAL BIOLOGY 



should be kept tightly closed when not 

 in use, and should be distinctly labeled 

 " Poison Bottle" (Fig. 2). If the bottle 

 is broken, the pieces of glass and all the 

 contents should be buried in the earth. 



3. Preparation of butterflies for study 

 or for collections. For laboratory study 

 it is desirable to use the largest butter- 

 flies obtainable. The work will be carried 

 on to much better advantage if there 

 is at least one mounted specimen for 

 each two pupils. These should be pre- 

 pared with the wings fully extended, 

 with the legs spread out as in walking, 

 and with the proboscis partly uncoiled. 

 To get the material in this shape place 

 two books about half an inch apart on 

 a soft board ; run an insect pin through 

 the thorax of a freshly killed insect, ex- 

 tend the legs 

 and proboscis, 

 then put the 

 body of the 

 insect between 

 the two books, 

 thrusting the 



tip of the pin into the board beneath. 



Spread out the fore wings on the book 



covers so that their hind margins are at 



right angles to the thorax, pull the hind 



wings outward into their natural position 



when at rest, and hold the two pairs in 



place with pieces of glass till the specimen 



has dried. Butterfly spreading boards FlG . 2 .- Poison bottle for 



FIG. 1. Insect net. 



may be bought or made (Fig. 3). 



killing insects. 



