278 GRAMMAR OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



were left, but are so slightly attached to the board 

 that a touch of the pencil will remove them. 



893. A number of very small pieces of card 

 should then be prepared ; they should be trian- 

 gular, with one angle very acute ; a pin should be 

 passed through each near the base ; then with a 

 fine brush touch the acute point of the card with 

 clean transparent gum-water, and again moistening 

 the brush take up one of the insects and place it 

 on the gum, to which it will instantly adhere. 



894. All minute Hymenoptera may be mounted 

 in this way. The wings of minute Diptera are more 

 difficult to deal with, being of a softer texture. 

 As few of these should be mounted as possible, and 

 great care should be exercised in the operation ; 

 the rest of the Diptera should be pinned. 



895. The minute insects brought home alive in 

 the vial may be instantly killed by immersing the 

 vial in hot water, after which they may be mounted 

 at any future opportunity when more time can be 

 spared for the operation ; each vial should be la- 

 belled with the date and place, when and where, 

 and thus a winter's amusement may be provided. 



896. In setting, i. e. arranging the legs and 

 wings of insects, we now speak of those suffi- 

 ciently large to require pinning, there are two 

 modes — the first is to place the wings horizontally, 

 the second is to bend them so as to touch the 

 drawer ; the first is the continental, the second the 

 English, plan. 



