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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



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larger pin, and is then ready for the insect. Small species can also be 

 put with labels in gelatine capsules through one end of which a pin is run. 



The collector fre- 

 quently secures a large 

 number of very small 

 insects belonging to a 

 single species. It 

 would take much time 

 to mount these as de- 

 scribed above and yet 

 they should not be 

 thrown away, because 



Fio. 81 Mounts for small Insects, a, on card point; 6, on pin point; such material may be 

 c, In a gelatine capsule (original) , . ,i 



desirable for later 

 study. They may be preserved in alcohol or placed in vials and allowed 

 to dry before corking in order to prevent mold. In a similar manner 

 very desirable material taken at one time may be stored under a com- 

 mon label till there is leisure to arrange it, as the specimens have only 

 to be relaxed before final mounting. 



Inflating larvae. The caterpillars of many butterflies and moths 

 can be well preserved by inflation. The specimen is killed in a cyanide 

 bottle, laid on a piece of blotting paper, pressed lightly with a pencil, 

 and the partially protruding intestine ruptured with a needle or a pair of 

 fine forceps. Then lay the pencil crosswise just back of the caterpillar's 

 head and roll it lightly toward the posterior extremity. This will force 

 out the body contents, the process being aided somewhat by removing 

 the intestine with forceps. The rolling must be done very carefully and 

 in many cases repeated once or twice. If undue pressure is used or the 

 pencil allowed to slip, hairs may be lost, the skin bruised and the speci- 

 men ruined. In the posterior extremity of the empty skin insert a 

 pointed glass tube or blowpipe, to which is attached a short rubber tube 

 and fasten the caterpillar skin firmly with collodion, glue or a spring 

 clip. If the blowpipe is inserted so as to distend the posterior opening 

 withdrawn, heated and inserted again, the skin will usually adhere 

 firmly to the blowpipe. Keep it distended by blowing and at the 

 same time dry by holding it near a lamp chimney or other source of heat. 

 The skin must be dried till rigid, but burning must be carefully avoided. 

 Some caterpillars bear inflation very well, specially certain highly colored 

 ones, but it is exceedingly difficult to obtain nicely inflated green larvae. 



