Removal of gkeask from moths. 33 



object in the following remarks is to show that by a little modifi- 

 cation of Mr. Greene's plan the process may be made comparatively 

 simple, and need not interfere with ordinary collecting work to 

 any considerable extent. 



Excavation. — Mr. Greene says : " When the insect has been 

 on the setting-board a sufficiently long time to render the contents 

 of the body lirm and viscid (not hard or d7'y), remove it." ..." If 

 the wings of the insect, when removed from the setting-board (in 

 order to prepare the body), are not thoroughly dried or stiff, it 

 must of coui'se be replaced and reset. . . . Take a a pair of sharp 

 fine-pointed scissors and cut from the under side of the body a 

 small slip, i.e., beginning at the extremity of the abdomen, on the 

 left-hand side, cut up to the thorax ; and having done the same with 

 the right-hand side, remove the slip thus made. Care of course 

 must be taken not to cut too deep. Take now a sharp pen-knife, 

 and inserting the point at the thorax draw it gently down each 

 side of the bod3^ It will be found this can readily be done if the 

 contents are not hard. The interior, when thus loosened, can 

 easily be picked out with the point of the knife or a pin or needle. 

 In very small insects, as Eujyithecia, &c., instead of a knife a fine 

 needle must be used, and great care and caution are necessary." 

 Of course the insect should be held in your left hand, upside 

 down, and with its tail pointing towards you ; the head of the pin 

 being between your left fore finger and thumb. 



I never excavate anything smaller than, say, Notodonta came- 

 lina or Luperina testacea. Firstly, because I cannot; and, secondly, 

 because I do not find it necessar}-. The benzine appears to soak 

 all the grease out of small insects without the body being opened 

 at all, and I am not at all sure that the benzine would not do so 

 even with large insects, but I have never relied solely upon it. 

 The body sometimes breaks off before the excavation is complete. 

 When this happens you must be satisfied with what has been 

 already done ; you cannot hold the body so as to take any more 

 out of it ; you must leave it, and trust to the benzine. 



Break off the body. — Before doing so, cut tlie junction of the 

 abdomen and thorax underneath with a pair of scissors, or you 

 may find that the hind wings come off with the abdomen. 



Pinning. — Pass a very fine (No. 18 K. & B.) pin well through 

 one side of the detached body, and push the body high up along 

 the pin. You can then, by means of the pin, transfer the body 

 about from one place to another without handling it, and the body 

 need not come in contact with anything. 



Labelling. — A paper label, with a number corresponding with 

 a similar label on the insect, must be attached to the pin, so that 

 you may know to which insect each body belongs. The numbers 

 must be written on the labels with lead pencil; benzine would 

 obliterate ink. 



Soaking.-^The bodies, whether excavated or not, must be 



