VAIIE MECUM. '27 



Tlio I-Aiiv.ii Hipx .slinuld bo of chip, and covorra at the top 

 and bottom vvitli (janze, for Hie admission of air. A few 

 loaves of tlio plants on which the Caterpillars food, should 

 be put into the box vvitli them. A pcrfbratod tin box is 

 sometimes preforred by eiitomoIoBist.s, as best for rotaiiiiii<< 

 the moisture of the iilants. 



The Stoiie Boxes should be made of yellow deal, well 

 saturated with spirits of turjiontino, and about two feetlonif, 

 fourteen inches wide, and five inches high ; divided down 

 the middle, like a backgammon board, with a cell at each 

 end for the reception of camphor. A ledge of half an inch 

 should rise on the inside of the lower half to exclude dust. 

 The boxes must be lined with a slioet of cork, both at top 

 and bottom ; and the edges shimld be covered with paper 

 pasted on them to exclude the air and dust. 



The Breeding Cages, used for rearing insects from cater- 

 pillars, should be made of wainscot, and of a sipiare form, 

 with the sides and front covered with gauze. In the centre 

 of the box should be a tube for the reception of a bottle of 

 water, in which the stems of the plants should be put to 

 keep them alive. A succession of fresh jilants and clean 

 cages, are also essential to the obtaining fine specimens of 

 the perfect insects. The cause of the deaths of the Oter- 

 jiillars, found at the bottom of cages or poekot-boxes, is 

 generally attril)utod to Itruiscs g<it in boating the trees when 

 collecting them ; but this is a great mistake, as those, which 

 happen to be ii;jured in beating, seldom die till the time of 

 changing their skin, or of their transformation. 



The I'lNs. The size of the pin must be regulated by that 

 of the insect : the kind called short whites, ai'e perhajls 

 preferable for Butterllies ; and in piercing them, care should 

 be taken to force the pin sulliciontly through the thorax to 

 hold them linn, and keep them at a proper distanci' from 



