198 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



their leaves. I have been thus lengthy 

 because many collectors fancy they live in 

 bad localities. In my young days I remember 

 reading a reply of Mr. Stainton's to an en- 

 quiring correspondent, .that the best locality 

 was that nearest your own home. I tried, 

 and found it so, and if Entomologists will 

 only work, they need never fear but that they 

 will find plenty of insects. 



HOW TO BEGIN. 



SETTING. 



In No. 18 we gave an article under this 

 heading, and promised to give instructions in 

 setting in the next number, but other matters 

 have seemed more pressing, and it has been 

 deferred. Now, however, that insects are 

 fairly on the w'ing, we must not put oft longer 

 giving our young readers a few hints on 

 setting. The first thing to do, is to get a 

 supply of proper Entomological pins. The 

 dealers who advertise on the back page will 

 supply you with these, and what you want to 

 know is the size to order. You will want 

 four or five different sizes. In most of cases | 

 there are stouter and finer pins made of the 

 same length, and we generally prefer the 

 stouter ones, as not so likely to bend, nor so 

 soon become corroded. No. 14 stout, No. 6 ! 

 fine are a nice length for Sphinges and the 

 larger Bombyces and Butterflies. No. 8 stout, 

 No. 15 fine are suitable for Noctuas, or the 

 larger geometrae. We use No. 15 for all medium 

 sized geometrae, but for the very smallest, we 

 use No. 9. No. 10 is the same length as No. 

 9, but a little finer. For smaller moths you 

 must use a finer pin still, and No. 18 and 20 

 are the finest made. Longer pins are made 

 than these sizes, but these are long enough if 

 you only put the pin well through the body. 

 You will find instructions for pinning in No. 

 18. Most collectors, or at all events most of 

 south country collectors use setting boards 

 made of a piece of fine cork, glued on to a 

 Strip of deal, and shaped with a groove for 



the body of the insect, the sides being rounded 

 off with a curve, that gives the specimen a 

 graceful appearance. These are sold in 

 lengths of about 14 inches each, and the 

 prices may be seen on the back page. When 

 these are used, the insect after being pinned, 

 is placed with the body in the groove, the pin 

 not quite upright, but leaning a little forward. 

 With a setting needle you then move the 

 , wings to their places, and fix them there with 

 a small wedge-shaped bit of cardboard, 

 pinned at the broad end, the point going over 

 the wing, and holding it down. This can 

 generally be done if the insect is nicely re- 

 laxed, without pinning the wings down, but 

 if the specimen is rather stiff you may need 

 to pin the wings in their places until you 

 wedge them down. Do this with the finest 

 needle or pin you can obtain, inserting it just 

 below the costa, or upper edge of the wing. 

 One of the nerves runs along this edge, and 

 keeps it stiff and straight. A little practise 

 will enable you to do all this with ease and 

 celerity. For a setting needle we use those 

 fine steel pins, with glass heads, that are sold 

 in most draper's shops in sixpenny boxes. A 

 i long fine needle may also be had, such as are 

 used by straw bonnet makers, and called 

 "straw needles." 



Another method of setting is much prac- 

 I tised in the North, and after many years 

 practise we confess to preferring it to the 

 other, perhaps because we learnt it first, or 

 perhaps because it has advantages. Our 

 readers must judge for themselves. Instead 

 of the long slips just spoken of, each insect is 

 set on a separate block made of soft pine. As 

 these are not on sale at the dealers we had 

 better tell you how to make them. To make 

 blocks for setting ordinary noctuas take a 

 piece of yellow pine, clear of knots, about two 

 inches wide, and half an inch thick. After 

 squaring the edges, take what joiners call a 

 "plough," and cut a groove about quarter of 

 an inch wide, and nearly quarter of an inch 

 deep, down the very centre, the whole length 

 of your wood. Then take a fine saw, and 



