The Capture, Preparation, and Preservation of Specimens 



the upper left-hand vest-pocket. The application of the chloro- 

 form will cause the insect to cease its struggles immediately, and 

 it may then be placed in the poisoning-jar, or it may be pinned 

 into the field-box. The field-box, which should be worn at the 

 side, securely held in its place by a strap going over the shoulder 

 and by another strap around the waist, may be provided with the 

 poisoning apparatus or may be without it. In the former case the 

 box should be of tin, and should have securely fastened in one cor- 

 ner some lumps of cyanide, tied in gauze. The box should be very 

 tight, so that when it is closed the fumes of the cyanide may be 

 retained. The bottom should be covered with cork, upon which 

 the specimens, as they are withdrawn from the poisoning-jar, 

 should be pinned. It is well to bear strictly in mind that it is a 

 mistake to continue to put one specimen after another into the 

 poisoning-jar until it is half filled or quite filled with specimens. 

 In walking about the field, if there are several insects in the jar at 

 a time, they are likely to become rubbed and their beauty partially 

 destroyed by being tossed about as the collector moves from place 

 to place; and a large insect placed in a jar in which there are one 

 or two smaller insects will in its death-struggles possibly injure the 

 latter. So, as fast as the insects are partially asphyxiated, or de- 

 prived of the power of motion, they should be removed from the 

 poisoning-jar to the poisoning-box, where they are pinned in place 

 and prevented from rubbing one against the other. Some col- 

 lectors prefer simply to stun the insects, and then pin them into the 

 field-box, where they are left, in whole or in part, to recover their 

 vitality, to be subsequently put to death upon the return of the 

 collector from the field. This mode of procedure, while undoubt- 

 edly it yields in the hands of a skilful operator the most beauti- 

 ful specimens, appears to the writer to be somewhat cruel, and he 

 does not therefore approve of it. 



The Use of the Net. — In the use of the net the old saying is 

 true that " practice makes perfect." The bag of the net should be 

 sufficiently long to allow of its being completely closed when 

 hanging from the ring on either side. It is possible to sweep 

 into the net an insect which is fluttering through the air, and then 

 by a turn of the hand to close the bag and to capture the speci- 

 men. When the insect has alighted upon the ground it is best 

 to clap the net over it and then to raise the net with one hand. 

 Very many species have the habit of flying upward. This is par- 



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