quarters of an inch. Cyanide is a deadly poison and if you have any trouble 

 procuring it you can get your druggist to make the poison bottles. You can 

 buy them already made at the supply houses. Some collectors prefer cyanide 

 bottles made by covering the cyanide with water and pouring into the water 

 all the plaster of Paris the water will moisten. Set the bottle in a cool place 

 for an hour before shaking out the loose plaster and inserting the stopper. 

 Others cover the cyanide with a layer of sawdust, cover the sawdust with a 

 little cotton, and cover the cotton with a circular piece of blotting paper. 



In taking the butterfly from the net insert the uncorked bottle into the net 

 and place the mouth over the insect. If it does not drop or fly into the bottle 

 but continues to cling to the netting, tap your finger slightly against the net and it 

 will loosen its hold. 



Cyanide of potassium fumes act as a powerful anaesthetic and soon render 

 the insect unconscious, but it will revive if released from the bottle within 

 ten or fifteen minutes. Sort over ycur catch every few minutes and remove 

 the imperfect specimens. Liberate the males and place the imperfect females 

 in paper bags or boxes in order to secure their eggs. If killed by squeezing, 

 chloroform or gasoline this part of the work is impossible, and this is the 

 most important part in butterfly farming. 



Notwithstanding its poisonous nature the fumes of the cyanide bottle 

 are not injurious to the collector. The bottles should remain corked except 

 during the instant they are being used and there is no occasion to inhale the 

 fumes. When the cyanide seems to be too weak put a few drops of water 

 into the bottle. In the course of time the poison will so lose its strength that 

 the cyanide must be replenished. I generally dig out the contents of the 

 bottle and fill it anew, but when properly prepared a bottle should last for a 

 year. 



Many collectors do not use plaster of Paris at all. Some fasten lumps 

 of cyanide in a hole made in the bottom of the cork, and others hold it in 

 place by means of blotting-paper or cardboard in the bottom of the bottle. 

 By these means the poison can be replenished at will, but I prefer the method 

 stated above. 



FORCEPS. 



Butterflies and moths must not be touched with the fingers except in 

 pinning, and then only the under sides of their bodies. After they have been 

 pinned they are handled by grasping the head of the pin. At all times prior 

 to pinning they must be handled with the forceps by grasping the fore part 

 of the wing, close to the body, firmly but gently with the points. You can 

 make your own forceps with a properly shaped piece of metal, and some of 

 the noted scientists always make their forceps. A pair of ordinary tweezers, 

 or almost any kind of forceps will answer, but the best entomological forceps 

 cost only fifty cents and are the proper thing. I have an assortment of 

 straight and curved forceps obtained from the supply houses, but the broad- 

 tipped Butterfly Tweezers sold by Denton Brothers, I consider best. They 

 are nickeled plated, with leather pocket, and safety-pin for fastening pocket to 

 clothing, and the price is fifty cents. ' A good pair of forceps should be the 

 collector's constant companion. Their uses are manifold. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL PINS. 



Entomological pins are long and slender and must be used instead of 

 common pins. Various brands are upon the market, and almost any of them 

 will do, but I prefer Klaeger Special black Japanned steel pins, numbers 1 to 4. 



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