Guide to Taxidermy 



177 



with a groove for the insect's body, such as were 

 formerly used. Tack a piece of card to a smooth 

 board; spread the wings of the fly and lay it, top 

 down, on this. Pin through the center of the body 

 into the board and stretch each wing into the 

 proper position and pin it (with one pin close to 

 the body). 



In a correctly mounted, fully-spread fly the low- 

 er edge of the upper wings should form a straight 

 line across on either side of the body. All insects 

 for a collection should be mounted in this way. 

 When you have the wings spread, pin a strip of 

 card across both the upper and lower ones. 



The pin in the body may now be carefully drawn 

 out and the antennae must be pinned evenly in 

 front of the head. They will dry and be ready to 

 put in the mount in a couple days. 



The Riker mount is composed of cotton in a box, 

 with a glass cover. The fly is laid on the cotton 

 and the cover put on, this pressing the specimen 

 firmly into the cotton and protecting it from moths 

 or breakage. A folded fly may be put in the same 

 mount with a spread one to show both the upper 

 and under sides ; the chrysalids and mounted cater- 

 pillars as well as the pressed plants that they feed 

 upon are often also included, thus giving a life his- 

 tory of the species. These mounts lend themselves 

 readilv to many decorative eff^ects for wall orna- 



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12 



