148 NATURAL HISTORY OF INSECTS. 



insect's body; a strip of cork or pith is then glued over this 

 space on the under side, and the setting-board is completed. 



For the stretching-out of the wings, and for many other 

 purposes, a needle stuck into a wooden handle (Fig. 342) will 

 be found useful. It is made by splitting off a piece of pine 

 wood three or four inches long, and forcing into one end of it 

 the eye-end of a common sewing needle; next, whittling down 

 the handle to a convenient size and shape (Fig. 342), the 

 instrument is completed. 



Fig. 342. 



In order to retain the wings of the insects on the setting- 

 board in their proper position strips of card-board should be 

 pinned over them (Fig. 341), using common, short, sharp- 

 pointed pins foi this purpose. 



The setting-board may then be suspended upon the wall, or 

 it may be placed in a box covered with fine wire gauze or 

 strainer cloth, which will admit plenty of air, while at the 

 same time preventing small insects from gaining access to the 

 specimens. The latter should remain upon the setting-board 

 for at least a month, when they are ready for the cabinet. 



Cases in which to exhibit insects may be made in the form 

 of a shallow box having -a tightly fitting lid, in the back of 

 which is fastened a pane of clear glass; they may be of any 

 convenient size, and about two and half inches deep, inside 

 measurement. The bottom should be lined with thin strips 

 of cork or dry pith, into which to thrust the pins; if pith is 

 used it should first be boiled, to extract the saccharine matter. 



If the collection is to be a very extensive one, the cases to 

 contain it may be constructed in the form of two shallow 

 boxes facing each other, and fastened together, on one side 

 with hinges, and on the other with hooks and staples; they 

 will then open and shut like a book, and when not in use may 

 be packed away in any convenient place. The boxes should 

 be made of thoroughly seasoned white wood, walnut, or cherry, 

 Care should be taken to have the cases or boxes perfectly 



