260 POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY. 



the collector to taking the lives of those insects necessary 

 to perfect his knowledge of their forms and habits ; for most 

 assuredly no one who studies the history of this part of 

 creation^ and discovers the design for which each insect is 

 formed^ will ever wantonly destroy one of them^ from weak 

 prejudice or silly and cruel caprice. When the insect is 

 killed, it must be prepared for the cabinet : a pin (short 

 whites) should be run into the thorax, and forced sufficiently 

 through to pierce the cork of the box or drawer, and hold 

 the insect firm ; it should also be high enough to prevent 

 the legs from touching the bottom. The best method of 

 setting Lepidopterous insects is by having a small board 

 made, with pieces of wood the same length, about three 

 inches wide and half an inch in depth, glued on at inter- 

 vals of about an inch, or something less ; then by sticking 

 the pin with the insect into one of these intervals, the wings 

 rest on the higher parts on each side, and can then be 

 easily fixed with braces in the desired position. The brace 

 IS merely a piece of cardboard, long and narrow, fixed with 

 pins into the wood, and bearing gently over the wings so as 

 to keep them steady in their natural attitude ; the antennae 

 and legs should also be extended and kept in their places 

 by pins. When quite stiff and firm the insects may be 



