board, it will press so firmly against the wing as to hold it in the position in 

 which you have drawn it with the spreading-needle. When you draw the 

 wings forward with the needle loosen the tension a little, and when the wing 

 is where you want it, tighten the tension. Draw the front wing forward only 

 a little way, hold it in place by drawing the strip taut, and with the spreading- 

 needle draw the right hind wing forward the same distance; then draw 

 the front wing a little forward and the hind one up to it again, repeat- 

 ing the process until the wings are expanded. Draw the slip very tight 

 and fasten it with a mourning pin to the board just behind the wings and near 

 the right side of the groove. Turn the board end for end, bringing the left 

 wings nearer f.o you, and treat them in the same manner, fastening them when 

 fully expanded with a strip of paper which is placed close to the body. When 

 expanding and pinning down the wings on the left side it is likely that the right 

 wings may slip back a little, but they can be very easily replaced. Then place 

 one or more strips outside of and parallel with the first strips. Be sure and cover 

 the tips and outer edges of the wings, else they will surely curl up during the 

 process of drying. 



DETAILS OF THE PROCESS. 



If the wings are folded under the body, place the jaws of the forceps 

 under the base of the wings and lift them upward and at the same time press the 

 pinned butterfly downward into the groove of the spreading board. By lifting 

 the wings on alternate sides they can be made to extend out horizontally at 

 right angles to the body by the time the body has been pressed down into the 

 groove. If the wings are folded over the back grasp the body underneath the 

 wings with the jaws of your forceps and pinch hard. This will cause the 

 wings to move downward until they are on a level with the body. "Breaking 

 down" the wings with the forceps is the very first act unless the wings happen 

 to be extended horizontally. It is the rule to bring the hind margins of the two 

 fiont wings about in a line perpendicular to the body, so that the hind edges 

 of the two wings form a straight line across the insect at right angles to the di- 

 rection of the body. The hind wings are brought forward so that their front 

 margins are nearly covered by the fore wings. This is the rule given by Corn- 

 stock and all leading authorities. The antennae should be extended at or near 

 the front margin of the wing, and parallel with it. If they stand out in front 

 they are very apt to be broken off. The abdomen should be raised or depressed, 

 supported or pinned down, as occasion requires, by pins placed crosswise below or 

 above the body. Two long strips of paper may extend from one end to the 

 ether of the spreading-board and may hold down the wings of a number of but- 

 terflies. This strip may be of tracing-cloth and for the sake of economy may 

 be used over and over. I prefer, however, to cut off the strips of paper behind 

 each butterfly before putting another on the board. In this way each butterfly 

 is spread separately. 



DRYING THE SPECIMENS. 



The spreading-boards should be placed in a cupboard, box or case while 

 the specimens are drying. Dust and dermestes are always to be feared. A 

 little naphthalene sprinkled in the drying case is a wise precaution. Mice, ants, 

 spiders are only a few of the things that menace the insects while on the spread- 

 ing-board. There are authors who advocate baking the specimens as soon as 

 they have been arranged on the spreading-board in a slow oven for a couple of 



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