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AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
Vol. VIII.—JUNE, 1874.— No. 6. 
ece OD I~ 
THE PRESERVATION OF CATERPILLARS BY 
INFLATION. 
BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER. 
* 
Many persons are deterred from collecting caterpillars, by the 
difficulty and expense of preserving them in the ordinary way. 
The easy and inexpensive method of blowing up and mounting the 
pellicle is so little known in this country, that at the last meeting 
of the Americam Association, only one entomologist besides my- 
self had ever seen the operation; since then, others have tried it 
and been delighted with its simplicity. In the hope of inducing 
all our entomologists to experiment for themselves, the following 
explanation of the process has been prepared. 
It should be premised that caterpillars may be prepared in this 
way so as to retain their colors far better than by any other method 
and often to be fit subjects at any subsequent time for the artist’s 
pencil; the most delicate processes may be preserved uninjured, 
and the examination of hairy or spiny appendages made even more 
readily than during life. Specimens taken from spirits, unless 
absolutely naked, are always difficult to examine from the matting 
of the hairs; and the internal organs can seldom be studied, even 
in the rudest manner, unless the greatest care has been bestowed 
upon their preservation ; in fact, no specimen can be fitted by any 
Process, for the study of both internal and external organizations, 
and for the latter, no method of preparation compares with that 
of inflation. 
Bounce, i the Oaea of the Lioraviad of Congress ai Wasinpi © SADODY ACADEMY OF 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. VIII. 21 ‘ (RD 
