DISSECTING INSTRUMENTS. 351 



dissected by a mixture of white wax, flake white, Venice 

 turpentine, and hog's-lard; into this, when melted in the 

 bottom of the trough, the insect is to be placed, and when 

 the mixture becomes cold the insect is fixed in the position 

 required. The subject about to be dissected may be attached 

 to the cork by pins, or some thin braces of cork, with a pin at 

 each end, may serve to confine any part too tender either to 

 receive a pin or that would be injured by it. Small hooks, 

 made out of pins, needles of various sizes, and spines of Cacti, 

 will all be found of essential service for the purpose of securing 

 delicate animals to the cork. 



Rests. — These, which were much used by Mr. Goadby, 

 consist of two inclined planes of wood, as shown at a h, in fig. 

 234, for the purpose of supporting the arms and wrists of the 

 dissector. They may be made of the following dimensions, 

 viz., eighteen inches long, six inches wide, and one inch thick ; 

 the upright piece to support the raised end should be about 

 six inches high. If the trough in which the dissection is 

 placed be large and steady, the uprights may be dispensed 

 with, and then two plain pieces of wood resting on the sides 

 of the trough wiU answer equally well. Blocks of wood, of 

 various sizes, will be required to elevate the troughs to a par- 

 ticular height for dissection. The pliers will be useful for 

 bending the pins and pressing them firmly into the cork, and 

 the small syringe will be necessary for washing away particles 

 of fat or other loose kinds of tissue that may be found in the 

 interior of small animals. 



