26 NATURALISTS’ ASSISTANT. 
in the desired position and held either by a slip of cardboard 
pinned to the setting board, or by the weight of a piece of 
glass or sheet lead. The wings of the two sides should be 
brought to symmetrical positions and the antenne and legs 
disposed as desired and held in position with pins if neces- 
sary. The board and its contents should then be put away 
to dry, an operation which will occupy from three days to a 
week or more according to the temperature and moisture of 
the air. 
The collector in the field will find it convenient to pack 
butterflies in sheets of paper folded in triangles and in this 
shape they may be kept as long as desired, of course all due 
precautions being taken to prevent the ravages of injurious 
insects. When it is desired to spread them they may be re- 
laxed, no matter how long a time has elapsed since their col- 
lection, by placing them in a covered box, the bottom of 
which is covered with moist sand, the insects being protect- 
ed from soiling by the intervention of a sheet of paper. 
The box with its contents is then placed in a warm place 
for half a day when the moisture arising from the sand will 
have so relaxed the muscles and tendons that the specimens 
may be spread in the manner above described. 
Beetles, bugs, and orthoptera may be taken from the 
alcohol and pinned at any time, but flies, Hymenoptera, 
Neuroptera and Lepidoptera never present a good appear- 
ance after immersion in spirits, though Hymenoptera and 
Neuroptera stand the operation better than the others. A 
protracted stay in the spirit injures the colors of all insects. 
