BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [106] 



It cost 90 cents per square yard in England, and I have had one cabinet 

 lined with it as an experiment, as there is a probability that the pins 

 may corrode in contact with the rubber. 



ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS IN THE CABINET. 



Systematic and biologic Collections. — The permanent arrangement of 

 specimens in boxes and drawers will vary somewhat with the nature of 

 the insects. The almost universal custom of collectors, however, is to 

 arrange the insects in vertical columns. In the case of the smaller 

 forms, as Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, 2^ to 3 inches in width is 

 allowed for the columns ; and for the larger insects, as Lepidoptera, 

 Orthoptera, for which larger drawers are recommended, a greater 

 width of column is needed and 4^ to 5 inches will be found necessary. 

 With alcoholic material, a similar arrangement in columns may be 

 followed. 



In spacing or dividing insect boxes into columns for the arrangement 

 of specimens, I have followed the plan of pinning narrow strips of 

 colored paper in the boxes at regular distances to divide the columns 

 of insects. A fine line made with a medium pencil will answer the 

 same purpose and wiU not materially disfigure the box. 



The appearance of the collection will largely depend on the care used 

 in the alignment of the specimens, botlj vertically and horizontally. It is 

 advisable to have at least four specimens of a species, which, ento- 

 mologically speaking, constitute a set. The collector, however, should 

 not limit the number of his specimens to four, as it is frequently 

 necessary to have a larger number to rex)resent, firstly, the sexes ; sec- 

 ondly, varieties; and thirdly, geographical distribution. 



In the systematic collection the species should be arranged serially 

 in accordance with the latest catalogue or monograph, and if the col- 

 lector intends making a complete study of the group, space should be 

 left for the subsequent insertion of species not at j)resent in his posses- 

 sion and also for new species. This will avoid the rearrangement of the 

 entire collection at brief intervals. 



Economic Displays. — In the case of economic displays, which will 

 include pinned specimens, alcoholic material, early states and specimens 

 illustrating the work of the insect — also the parasitic and predaceous 

 enemies — the horizontal arrangement can be followed, and I have found it 

 advisable, in making such displays, to arrange them in this manner, so 

 that any needed width for the display of particular species may be 

 had. A good idea of the system of arrangement adopted for an 

 economic exhibit may be obtained from the accompanying illustration 

 (PI. I). Every insect will require a somewhat different treatment, 

 owing to its different habit, but the plan indicated in the illustration 

 should, in the main, be followed. Prof J. H. Comstock uses and 

 recommends a sort of block system, which consists in j)inning the 



