ANIMAL BIOLOGY 



should be kept tightly closed when not 

 in use, and should be distinctly labeled 

 " Poison Bottle" (Fig. 2). If the bottle 

 is broken, the pieces of glass and all the 

 contents should be buried in the earth. 



3. Preparation of butterflies for study 

 or for collections. — For laboratory study 

 it is desirable to use the largest butter- 

 flies obtainable. The work wiU be carried 

 on to much better advantage if there 

 is at least one mounted specimen for 

 each two pupils. These should be pre- 

 pared with the wings fully extended, 

 with the legs spread out as in walking, 

 and with the proboscis partly uncoiled. 

 To get the material in this shape place 

 two books about half an mch apart on 

 a soft board ; run an insect pin through 

 the thorax of a freshly killed insect, ex- 

 tend the legs 



Fig. 1. — Insect net. 



and proboscis, 

 then put the 

 body of the 

 insect between 

 the two books, 

 thrusting the 

 tip of the pin into the board beneath. 

 Spread out the fore wings on the book 

 covers so that their liind margins are at 

 right angles to the thorax, pull the hind 

 wings outward into their natural position 

 when at rest, and hold the two pairs in 

 place vfith pieces of glass till the specimen 

 has dried. Butterfly spreading boards 

 may be bought or made (Fig. 3). 



Fig. 2. — Poison bottle for 

 killing insects. 



