USE THE BREATH IN SPREADING. 



In spreading a butterfly or moth if the wings stick together blow against 

 them with the breath, gently or forcibly, as may be required. If after breaking 

 down the wings with the forceps they still stick straight up over the back, blowing 

 against them tends to force them down into position. You will find the breath 

 an important factor in the work of spreading. 



WHEN FLIES ARE LOOSE UPON PIN. 



Frequently an insect is not firmly held to the pin and will turn upon it 

 when you attempt to place it in the box or cabinet. This is very annoying, 

 as the wings will not remain in the position desired. Put a little drop of gum 

 tragacanth around the pin close to the underside of the body and the trouble 

 will be remedied. 



TO OBTAIN HYBRID EGGS. 



There is an ever-increasing demand among scientists for the imagoes which 

 are known as hybrids, the result of eggs which have been laid by a female 

 which has mated with a male of a different species. When it is desired to 

 obtain hybrid eggs the females of the first species should be placed in a cage 

 with several males of the second species, while in a separate cage should be a 

 female of the second species with a number of males of the first. The two 

 cages should be kept close together, side by side, so that the inmates are 

 separated only by the netting which covers the cages. A correspondent 

 recommends a slightly different method, which I have tried with success. 

 Divide a cage with a horizontal partition of netting, on the lower side of the 

 partition place a number of males and on the upper side place a female of the 

 same species. After a few hours remove the female and introduce among the 

 males a female of the other species. Your experiments may result in many 

 failures, but if you succeed in obtaining fertile hybrid eggs you will be amply 

 repaid for your trouble. 



A SWEETENED SPONGE AS FOOD SUPPLY. 



A sponge moistened with honey and water will satisfactorily supply food 

 to imprisoned females during the egg-laying period. It may be pinned to the 

 side of the cage and is said to be quite as good as dried apple soaked in honied 

 water. Females, having mouth organs and requiring food, may sometimes be 

 induced to eat by placing the food in front of her palpi and then gently blowing 

 toward her. The odor will generally cause her to unfold her tongue and 

 partake of the nectar. 



SEARCH FLOWERS. 



I have not happened to find the statement in books, but many rare moths 

 can be found on flowers at night. The flowering shrubs or clusters of flowers 

 which attract diurnals in the daytime will be sure to attract moths at night. 

 Begin watching these flowers in the early twilight and use your net until it 

 becomes too dark, then trust to your carbide lamp and cyanide bottle. The 

 trick of the work consists in the fact that after dark you must search the flowers 

 thoroughly. I have had pupils report that they could find no moths on a given 

 bunch of flowers, when a careful, painstaking search revealed several specimens. 



17'.) 



