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I will explain later, but I want you to observe that by this method 

 I secure several things. First, I know how many insects of a 

 day's capture are set, my minus signs tell me that, I know whether 

 I have written their tickets, my ticks show me that, and lastly, 

 whilst the whole thing is fresh in my mind, I have placed against 

 each insect and pinned on the setting board the actual data of 

 the insect, thereby minimising the risk of making mistakes in the 

 data. So if I have to leave my setting in the middle, instead of 

 hunting about to know what there is to be done and what was 

 left undone, my diary shows me at a glance. 



The next morning I empty my cyanide bottle into the relaxing 

 tin. By the time I return in the evening the rigor mortis has 

 left the large insects and they are fit to set. Setting and ticketing 

 is proceeded with in the same manner as for the small insects 

 until all are done. 



When removing from the boards I turn my minus sign to a 

 plus sign, which signifies that the insect is off the board and awaits 

 determination. 



My diary shows, therefore, quite a lot of information as to 

 where my insects are, what more is required to prepare them for 

 the cabinet. 



Comparatively, it shows also the possibilities of a locality, 

 the state of the season and, by comparing the entries with com- 

 plementary dates, inferences of considerable value may be drawn. 

 I have diaries on this principle extending for 17 years, and for the 

 last five years my brother has made all his entomological notes 

 in my diary, so there are gathered together the observations of 

 two collectors over quite a long period of time. 



Data Ticketing. 



Datum (pi. Data) and date are words which should not be 

 confused. Specimens without data are almost wholly valueless 

 from a scientific point of view, and data tickets can hardly be too 

 detailed. They should be on a paper which will last well and 

 written in ink which is waterproof and will not fade or discolour. 

 It is essential that they contain at least the most precise locality 

 of capture that can be got. The actual date of capture, the name 

 of captor and where bred, the food plant, especially with the micro- 

 lepidoptera, is an invaluable piece of information. I use the 

 following form, say: 



The asterisk denotes that the insect is bred, if bred from the egg 

 add ex ova. It is necessary to add the country as well as the 

 place, since Colonists have duplicated locality names of the Mother 



Ramnor, 

 New Forest, 

 England, 

 6 — vii. — 1907. 



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