166 



THE AMERICAN 



be philosophers, the world would not now be 

 where it is. The law of the age is progress. 

 " The point that yesterday was lost in the dim 

 far away distance, becomes our goal to-day, 

 and will be our starting point to-morrow.'' 



HOW TO COLLECT AND STUDY INSECTS. 



HY F. G. yANBOKN, BOSTON, >[ASS. 

 [Fig. 104.] 



A collection of specimens of insects is an 

 almost indispensable adjunct to the study of the 

 science of Entomology. The simplest and most 

 economical method of obtaining one, but that 

 requiring the greatest amount of time and per- 

 severance, is to preserve each and eveiy object 

 related in anj' way to the history and trans- 

 formations of insects. The manner of preserving 

 these varies according to the nature of the sub- 

 stance, and different circumstances may neces- 

 sitate the use of different means. I propose to 

 give some account of those methods which have 

 been found most desirable. 



Presupposing that the object of the student is 

 to make himself acquainted with the natural 

 history of his own locality — whether of State, 

 county, or town — he should provide himself 

 with a number of boxes, of well seasoned wood, 

 of such form and size as will allow of their being 

 conveniently duplicated from time to time as 

 his collection increases. Plalf a dozen boxes of 

 clear, soft pine, measuring nine or ten by twelve 

 or fourteen inches, and double the length of the 

 common insect pin, that is to say, three inches 

 or three and a quarter, inside depth, so that 

 the specimens can bo pinned in both the upper 

 and under box, will be found sufficient to com- 

 mence with. (See Figure 104.) A flange, or 

 rabbet, extencls coaSpletely around the inte- 

 rior of the lower box, so as to protect the 

 contents from dust, and prevent the cover from 

 slipping to either side. This should not be 

 more than half an inch in height above the level 

 of the edge of the box, but should fit accurately 

 to the sides and bottom, and be fastened firmly 

 by nails, or nails and glue. If hard or knotty 

 wood is used for the top and bottom of the box, 

 it will be necessary to line or cover these sur- 

 faces with some sott material. Considerations 

 of economy or convenience will suggest the use 

 of various substances for this purpose. Many 



persons insist upon the use of flat sheets of cork 

 glued or nailed to the wood. The pith of the 

 American aloe, or elder, or of broom-corn, are 

 approved of by many collectors. That of Indian 

 corn, unles? deprived of its saccharine matter 

 by boiling or otherwise, is less applicable in the 

 long run, on account of its tendency to oxidize 

 or corrode the pins, so that they soon become 

 weakened and break at their points of contact 

 with the pith. Boiler felt, as it is called, com- 

 posed of cow's hair loosely felted together, has 

 been found very useful, when covered with thin 

 white paper, for lining boxes. Its advantages 

 are, evenness of texture, softness and cheapness, 

 a box of the size above mentioned requiring 

 about ten cents worth of felt. The inch thick 

 felting should be split (which may be easily 

 done with very little practice) and heavy weights 

 be placed upon it when glued into the box, re- 

 maining for about forty-eight hours; a plunger 

 of planed board, about a quarter of an inch 

 smaller each way than the box, intervening be- 

 tween the weight and the paper which covers 

 the felt. 



Boxes of this size and shape are far preferable 

 to cabinets of drawers, both on the score of 

 economy and convenience, esiiecially for consti- 

 tutionally erratic American students, as they 

 can readily be packed in small compass for 

 transportation when the collector strikes his 

 tent. 



Plaving prepared a safe place of deposit for 

 the specimens, now let the student construct a 

 [Fig. 103 : a net," by making a loop of strong 

 iron or brass wire, of about 3-16ths 

 of an inch in thickness, so that the 

 diameter of the loop or circle will 

 not exceed twelve inches, leaving 

 an inch to an inch and a half of 

 wire at each end bent at nearly 

 right angles. Bind the two ex- 

 tremities of the wire together with 

 smaller wire (Fig. 105, a), and tin 

 them by applying a drop of muriate of zinc, 

 then holding it in the fire or over a gas flame 

 until nearly red hot, when a few grains of 

 block tin or soft solder placed upon them will 

 flow evenly over the whole surface and join 

 them firmly together. Take a Maynard rifle 

 cartridge tube, or other brass tube of similar 

 dimensions ; if the former, file off" the closed 

 end or perforate it for the admission of the 

 wire, and having tinned it in the same manner 

 on the inside, push a tight fitting cork half way 

 through (Fig. 105, c), and pour into it melted 

 tin or soft solder, and insert the wires ; if care- 

 fully done you will have a firmly constructed 



