146 



PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



porarily placed through each fore- wing at their front edges, 

 near the body. The fore-wings should be set forward in 

 position until they are firmly secured, by pinning slips of 

 stiff paper or card over them ; then the pins in the wings 

 may be removed. The antennae should be raised in nat- 

 ural position and rest on crossed pins. See illustration. 



It is labor lost to pin out the wings of insects without 

 ^' coverlets," as some amateur entomologists endeavor to 

 do. Butterflies usually retain sufficient life to struggle 

 when being mounted, and pins in the wings generally re- 

 sult in ragged holes. All insects having farinaceous cov- 

 ering on their wings should be mounted before they be- 

 come dry and stiff. 



Insects are preserved in various positions. They may 

 be mounted in cases on wax flowers, and natural grasses, 

 or on their chrysalids, in combination on stands and 

 brackets. They present a pleasing and novel contrast 

 to the ever present wax flowers, leather work, splint 

 ornaments, etc. 



