Vol. xxv] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 203 
cut to fit the boxes, between the layers of butterflies, and also 
take measures to prevent the boxes rattling around in the 
pocket. No pressure is allowed to come on the specimens. If 
the day is very hot and dry, a few small leaves or some grass 
may be placed in each box when it is filled, for the purpose of 
supplying a little moisture. Large butterflies may be pinned 
directly in an ordinary collecting box. 
On the evening of the following day I remove the speci- 
mens from the tin boxes and pin them carefully, so that the 
position of the pin need not afterward be changed, placing 
them in a cork-lined box, inclining the pin forward at an 
angle of about 45 degrees, and holding the wings in a hori- 
zontal position with respect to the body, by thrusting a long 
steel pin into the cork so that the side of it rests against the 
upper surface of the wings. At the same time I also see to it 
that the antennae are kept away from the pin on which the 
insect is impaled, so they are not endangered in later handling, 
In ordinary weather 12 hours is a sufficient length of time for 
the specimens to become set, after which they can be trans- 
ferred into the boxes in which they are to undergo transporta- 
tion. | 
It is important to the success of this method that these 
boxes should be provided with some means of partially relax- 
ing the specimens previous to transportation. A cheap and 
. simple, yet effective device for the purpose is found in the 
form of a small pan about 4 in. x 8 in., 36 in. deep, made of 
oiled sheet, such as is commonly used in letter press copying. 
This pan is made by marking off the size lightly with the 
point of a pocket knife, turning up the edges and fastening 
them by means of small paper fasteners or clasps. Into this 
pan are put half a dozen sheets of ordinary blotting paper, and 
the whole is fastened securely to the inside of the lid of the 
box with brass paper fasteners reinforced with washers of 
oiled sheet. 
Into these boxes the specimens are pinned after the wings 
have become set as described above. They can be pinned with 
wings overlapping or “shingled,” so that a great many speci- 
