NATURAL HISTORY. 



459 



(cost $15), and a 4-nozzle gutta percha 

 atomizer (cost $2.50), and the spray is from 

 the following solution: 



Saturated solution of arsenic 



acid and alcohol 1 pint. 



Strong carbolic acid 25 drops. 



Strychnine 20 grains. 



Strong alcohol 1 quart. 



Naphtha, crude or refined. . . . 1 pint. 



For poisoning mounted heads, and 

 " stuffed " animals generally, which must be 

 treated from without, the best of all poisons, 

 and the easiest to prepare and apply is the 

 " corrosive sublimate solution." The fol- 

 lowing specific directions are from " Taxi- 

 dermy and Zoological Collecting," by W. T. 

 Hornaday (p. 341): 



" If possible, remove the specimen from 

 its pedestal, and beat out of it whatever dust 

 it may contain. Procure a quantity of alco- 

 hol sufficient when diluted with 50 per cent, 

 of water to completely saturate the hair (or 

 feathers) of the specimen, and dissolve in it 

 some corrosive sublimate — about an ounce 

 to every 3 pints of liquid. The point to 

 strive for in making up such a solution is to 

 make it as strong with- the corrosive sub- 

 limate as it can be without leaving on dark 

 hair a gray (or white) deposit when the 

 liquid has evaporated. In practice I always 

 mix the liquid, and test it with a tuft of 

 black or brown hair. If the deposit left is 

 quite apparent to the eye, a little more alco- 

 hol and water must be added. The prin- 

 ciple of the process is simply this: The al- 

 cohol, being at once very penetrating, very 

 volatile, and capable of combining chem- 

 ically with the corrosive sublimate, is used 

 as a vehicle for the distribution of the poi- 

 son. The poison is carried to the roots 

 of the hair, and left there as a deposit when 

 the liquid evaporates. 



" The liquid should reach every external 

 portion of the specimen, especially the skin. 

 When the specimen has dried, the hair must 

 be dressed by brushing and combing it. If 

 the white poison shows on the hair, take a 

 sponge, and with either hot water or alcohol 

 sponge off the surface, leaving all unseen 

 poison undisturbed. If your solution con- 

 tains the proper amount of poison, and is 

 thoroughly applied, I warrant that insects 

 will never again touch that specimen, even 

 though it should exist a thousand years/' 



TO PRESERVE INSECTS. 



Will you kindly tell me how to preserve 

 bugs and other insects which I am collect- 

 ing? Reader. 



ANSWER. 



All insects must be mounted on specially- 

 made insect pins. Large specimens must be 

 fixed temporarily in a grooved setting- 

 board, in order that their wings may be 

 spread and held in position by strips of 

 card, cloth or threads, until dry. The legs 



of the larger insects must also be put into 

 position previous to drying. The skins of 

 large larvae, spiders, and other soft-bodied 

 insects, which would shrivel up in drying, 

 must be opened at one end, and the contents 

 of the body expelled by pressure with the 

 thumb and finger while the subject is held 

 in the folds of a soft cloth. After that, the 

 empty skin must be inflated by blowing air 

 into it through a straw, or a small glass tube, 

 and immediately drying the specimen by 

 artificial heat. 



Of course many small insects, such as flies 

 and beetles, do not require the setting board. 

 Bettles should always be pinned through the 

 right elytron, bugs through the scutellum, 

 and all others through the middle of the 

 thorax. The bottom of every insect box 

 should be covered with sheet cork, to re- 

 ceive the insect pins, and the bottom and 

 sides should be painted over with carbolic 

 acid to prevent mould. To prevent der- 

 mestes and other pests from destroying the 

 specimens, fasten in a corner of each box 

 a little cheese-cloth or mosquito-net bag 

 filled with naphthaline crystals. All insects 

 should be kept in tight boxes, and away 

 from the light, to keep them from being 

 bleached. 



In the making of a good collection of in- 

 sects, quite an array of special materials must 

 be provided, and the amateur should procure 

 at least one good book of instruction. All 

 the information needed, both as to methods, 

 materials, and the places to buy them, can 

 be obtained from Dr. W. J. Holland's ad- 

 mirable chapters on this subject in Horna- 

 day's " Taxidermy and Zoological Collec- 

 ting." 



A NEW WAY TO FLUSH GROUSE. 



Crevasse, Mont. 

 Editor Recreation: A few days ago 

 while riding up one of our steep mountain 

 trails I noticed 2 hawks circling in opposite 

 directions, one 50 or 60 feet above the sage 

 brush, and the other about half as high. The 

 hill side was open with the exception of one 

 lone pine a short distance from where the 

 hawks were hunting. When I got within 

 150 yards of the scene of action I checked 

 my horse for a breathing spell, keeping my 

 eyes on the hawks all the time. Suddenly 

 the uppermost bird extended the circle of his 

 flight and sailed directly into the top of the 

 lone pine; but did not stay long. When he 

 emerged he held some object in his talons 

 which I first thought a squirrel. Continuing 

 the circle the object was dropped. At the 

 same time the lower bird darted toward the 

 ground until almost touching the brush, ut- 

 tering the peculiar harsh cry of these birds. 

 Then the 2 continued their flight as before. I 

 rode along the trail until within less than 50 

 yards, where, from behind some brush, I 

 watched operations. After a few circles the 

 upper bird again sailed through the tree and 

 emerged with a small dead limb which he 



