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196 METHOD OF COLLECTING 
paled insects, invert the mug in a deep basin, into 
which pour boiling water till it is covered, holding 
it down with a knife, &c., that the expansion of the 
included air may not overturn it. In two minutes, 
or less, all the insects will be found dead, and not 
at all wetted. If the sticks do not exactly fit, they 
may be wedged in with a piece of cork. Professor 
Peck, who used to put minute insects into the hol- 
low ofa quill, stopped with a piece of wood made 
*to fit, killed them instantaneously by holding it 
over the flame of a candle.” * 
When the insects are killed, the next thing is to 
prepare them for being placed in the cabinet. The 
entomologist should haye at hand a pincushion sup- 
plied with entomological pins, called short whites. 
The pin should be pierced through the middle of 
the thorax, forcing it sufficiently through, so that 
enough may be projecting to pierce the cork of the 
drawer, and hold the insect sufficiently firm. The 
insect, to look well, should be nearly close to the 
paper, but at such a distance as the legs do not 
touch the bottom, as they are thereby liable to be 
broken. 
Some of the continental collector's have the insect 
forced up to nearly the head of the pin, so that they 
may examine it with a microscope without remo- 
ving the glass lid. This, however, is liable to the 
* Kirby and Spence, Introduction to Entomology, iv. p. 529. 
