INSECTS. 81 
young mice, or the naked young of birds. If any of these 
have the misfortune to lose their heads or limbs from force, 
speedy death is the certain consequence ; but insects, under 
similar circumstances, it is well known, are capable of surviv- 
ing a considerable time.” 
Butterflies are soon killed by passing a pin through the tho- 
rax ; but probably the safest way is to adopt Mr Haworth’s 
plan, of making their instant death certain. The pin passed 
through the thorax of small Moths, generally proves almost 
instantly fatal to them. 
The best manner of preserving the minute species of Moths, | 
_ is by pili-boxes, as above stated, each moth being kept in a sep- 
arate box. We have found the following the best mode of | 
destroying them :— 
A piece of flat hard-wood is taken, and a circular groove | 
cut in it, sufficiently deep to admit the mouth of a tumbler | 
_ being placed within it. In the centre of the wood, pierce a 
hole about a third ef an inch in diameter in its centre: place | 
_ the pill box under this tumbler, with the lid off, and the insect 
will soon creep out: but whether it does so or not, a match | 
_ well primed with sulphur is lighted and placed into the hole | 
under the centre of the tumbler, which will suffoeate the 
insect in a few seconds. I have also found this an effec- 
tual method of killing the larger species of Butterflies, and | 
Moths. In piercing them, the pin should be quite perpendi- | 
cular, that no part of their minute frame should be hidden by 
_ its oblique position. 
} 
The larger insects of this order are set by braces chiefly. 
A single one should in the first place be introduced under the | 
wing, near the thorax, as shown in plate IV. fig. 1, @ a, anda 
longer brace extending over the wings, as at b b. These — 
should not bear upon the wings, but be ready to rest gently | 
on them, when required. The wings are now elevated to || 
their proper position by the setting needle c, and other braces 
are used as necessity dictates, in the manner represented at 
d,e,f,g,andh. The feet and antenne are extended and kept | 
in their places by means of pins; in which operation small 
braces are also occasionally used. 
The French Entomologists set Butterflies, Moths, and 
| Sphinges, ona piece of sofit-wood, in which they have excavated 
