Nov. 1885.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



171 



SEiiiNf. Boviii) This may be made like Fig. 

 a, wliich is tlic common 

 model. Another form 

 is to talic two strips of 

 Ihiu wood and nail, at 

 the ends, to two braces. 

 These end braces shoidd 

 lie cut on top where the strips are to go, willi the 

 middle lower than the ends, so as to give a dish- 

 ing slinpe to the setting board. In this way the 

 ends of the wings will be slightly higher than the 

 body, this is desirable, since if tlie least dampness 

 strikes the insect it is apt to droop. These set- 

 ting-boards should be of ditiercnt sizes and with 

 grooves ol different widths, some narrow for the 

 liultertlies and the narrow bodied moths like the 

 (liviitctrkhi', and some with wide grooves for llie 

 hii'gc-bodied Sphingidce. These grooves should 

 have a strip of cork or pita-wood at the bottom to 

 llirust the pin through. 



Foiicurs. Of these sevei'al p;iirs will be needed 

 (Figs. 1-T). A pair like Fig. i) will be necessary 

 in order to pin or unpin an insect without slant- 

 ing the hand too much. 



FiL"- The Setting Needle is a 



shaip needle set in a handle, for 

 I mo\ mg the wing and legs of the 

 ect in .setting. Several kinds 

 and sizes will be needed, some 

 ^lidigbt, some curved, and one 

 with a hook at the end for draw- 

 mg out the feet. Other handy 

 tools are, a pair of tine pointed 

 bcissois, and several camel's-hair 

 pencds. 



MOUNTINO. 



Now we will suppose you are 

 well rested after your collecting 

 till) Do not wait too long, how- 

 ever, else the insects will become 

 too dry, and will need to be 

 lelaxed. 



The liist thing to do is to sort 

 what you have taken. Throw 

 away all damaged insects, unless 

 very rare. What Lepidoptcra you 

 I do not wish to mount, fold away 

 in papers. 



This is done by taking a strip 

 of paper and folding it so as 

 to form a triangulai envelope, 

 with the ends lapping over to hold it together. 

 Do nut x/irk iliiirn the ends, for the flies will surely 

 get broken in opening. Now fold the wings of 

 the insect together over the back, tuck the anlen- 

 lue between them and place it in the paper, 

 marking the fold with the name, the date and 



\\^ 



place of capture. Diptcra, Hymenoptcra and 

 Neuroptera may be treated in the same way. 



Now, to set the Lepidoptcra, force the pin, 

 upon which the insect has been jilaced, through 

 the cork in the groove of the setting board, being 

 careful to choose a board suited to the size and 

 form of the insect, and iiush it down until the 

 wings rest flat on the top of the board, now with 

 a setting needle or forceps, draw the wing care- 

 fully forward to its proper position and fasten by 

 sticking a pin behind one of the veins of the wing 

 near the body, never touch the fingers to the 

 wing; serve all the wings in the same way, draw 

 forward the paws or fore-legs, set the antenna' in 

 position, and fasten all securely. For holding in 

 position till diy, some recommend winding with 

 cops as in Fig. 8, others hold the wings in place 

 by strips of glass, but we prefer to place a strip of 

 cardboard over the wings and fasten with pins or 

 tacks. When mounted in this way the boards 

 may be moved about without injury to the in- 

 sects. Leave them on the boards at least a week, 

 and some of the larger moths need two weeks to 

 become thoroughly dry. Diptera, Hymenoptcra 

 and Neuroptera should be treated in the same way. 



Coleoptera are best set by sticking the pin into 

 a sheet of cork, and holding the legs and antenme 

 in place, by means of pins, until dry. Small 

 beetles may be stuck ujion bits of card, or on 

 what arc known as "hiica mounts," through 

 which the pins are thrust. 



CARE OP COLLECTIONS. 



No insect should be placed in the cabinet un- 

 less it is thoroughly dry, and care should be taken 

 that none infested with Dermetes or Anthrenus 

 are placed therein ; the only place where we de- 

 sire these little pests is dead and stuck upon a 

 card in their proper position in the cabinet. 

 Should the collection, however, become infested 

 with these parasites, which indicate themselves 

 by a little pile of dust and debris at the foot of the 

 pin, give the collection a slight baking in the oven. 



The Cabinet depends upon the means of the 

 collector, but whatever is used it must be tight. 

 The most useful form is a case of shallow 

 drawers about two inches deep and fitted with 

 tight glass covers. Bo.xes like Fig. 10 may be 

 Fig. 10. 



f^.<f" 



used for storini;' the collection, they .should meas 



