THE VOTING NATURALIST. 



109 



make a saw-cut down the centre of this 

 groove about an eighth of an inch deep. Now 

 take a smoothing plane, and neatly round off 

 the sides until you have got it. something like 

 this section 



Fig. 50. 



Cut it into pieces, an inch and a half or two 

 two inches long, and your blocks are com- 

 plete. For larger or smaller species you 

 want different sizes, but they are all made 

 the same way. We give a figure that we may 

 make you understand how they are used, 

 c 



Fig. 51 



Take a piece of glace thread, long enough to 

 wrap eight or ten times round the block. 

 With your penknife cut a slit at a b c and d, 

 and slip one end of the thread into a, which 

 will hold it tight. Take your pinned insect, 

 and place the body in the groove, the point of 

 the pin going into the central saw cut. Put 

 your thread, which is fast at one end at a, 

 over the wings on the right side, and draw 

 them down. Bring it underneath and up on 

 the left side of the body grove, draw down the 

 left wing, and put your thread into slit b. All 

 the wings will now be down, and only want 

 putting in their proper position, the thread 

 near the base holding them as you place them. 

 Take a setting needle and put it underneath 

 the thread on one side, that you may move the 

 wings without injury. Carefully move them 

 till you are satisfied with their position, then 

 draw out the needle, and the thread falling 

 down will hold them. Do the same at the 



other side, and be careful to get them exactlv 

 alike on both sides. Now take a small square 

 of paper, large enough to cover the wings, lay 

 it down on those on the left side, and pass the 

 thread three or four times round, so as to 

 press evenly all over the wings, fasten it at 

 slit c, then pass it underneath to the right 

 side. Lay down your square of paper as 

 before, and pass the thread round, fastening 

 at d, and your insect is set. To save any risk 

 of marking the wing, take off the thread at a, 

 draw it out, and leaving it fast at b, pass it 

 round, over the paper, instead of under. 

 Having got your wings fastened down to your 

 mind, place the antennae in a natural position, 

 and draw out the fore and hind legs. It will 

 now be like this 



Fig. 5-'. 



and after remaining the necessary time will 

 be ready for removal to the store box or 

 cabinet. How long they need to remain on 

 the setting boards depends on many circum- 

 stances, the temperature of the room they are 

 in, free access of air, &c, but while their 

 bodies are soft and pliable, they must never 

 be taken off, or the wings will fall down, if 

 they do not alter in position, which they are 

 likely to do if taken off too soon. 



Whichever method yom decide to adopt, 

 you will doubtless spoil a few specimens to 

 begin with, but you must not be discouraged, 

 and in a very short time you will be able to 

 set satisfactorily. Never be satisfied, how- 

 ever, till you are sure you can do no better. 

 Nothing looks worse than an ill-set specimen, 

 and when you begin to exchange, you will 

 never give satisfaction till your insects are 

 well set. 



