THE TOUNG SCIENTIST. 
75 
from the bottom of the cabinet case, the 
reason of which will be told later. Two or 
three sizes will be needed for butterflies, 
moths, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, bees, 
wasps, etc. For mounting smaller insects, 
another method will be explained in our 
next. 
Eelaxing.— Sometimes a specimen, over- 
looked, or presented by a friend, becomes 
rigid, or has its wings closed, and it be- 
comes necessary to relax it before it can be 
set. This may easily be done by pinning 
the specimen to a cork, and on this let it 
float in a dish of water, covering it with a 
damp cloth. Damp sand covered with blot- 
ting paper will serve the same purpose. 
From four to eight hours will suffice, as a 
longer time tends to cause mold. Speci- 
mens may thus be set as easily as when just 
killed. Mold may be destroyed by brush- 
ing the insect with benzine, to which a little 
creosote has been added. 
General Hints. — For handling insects, a 
simple pair of tweezers will be convenient; 
also the pliers described on page 57 of the 
Young Scientist. After removing butter- 
flies and moths from mounting board, they 
should be stored in a dark place until the 
cabinet cases are ready to receive them. 
Tight boxes must be used for storing, as 
specimens are liable to be attacked by a 
small beetle or fly, which will eat away the 
body of a large moth to a mere shell. A 
fine dust under the insect will betray its 
presence. A piece of gum camphor should 
be placed in storing boxes. 
Record. — A record should be kept of all 
specimens, giving each a number, and en- 
tering this number in a blank book ruled 
to record number, name, locality, date, 
donor or collector, and notes concerning 
capture, etc. The numbers may be home- 
made, or library numbers can be bought in 
sheet form for a trifle. Keep each number 
with its insect, on the same pin if desired. 
The Latin names may be filled in the record 
at any time afterward. 
There are several good text books on 
entomology, with which all insects may be 
named and classified. The editor will at 
any time advise as to what works are prefer- 
able. 
In our next article we will give directions 
for sugaring, also design for a moth trap. 
To he continued. 
The Champion Kite, and How it wa& 
Made. 
By Joshua Rose. M. E. 
Concluded from page 65. 
WHAT diff'erence does the knot make, 
Uncle?" 
*' The stick is weaker where the knot is; 
we want our standard strong and light, and 
so even in strength that it will bend with 
an even curve throughout. There, now the 
end is cut off, and we must cut the stick 
down to the proper size. You see it is 
crooked, and in paring it down we must 
straighten it. Every now and then, you 
see, I stop paring it, and lay it down upon 
the table and turn it over and over, to see 
where it is crooked, and then pare off the 
high places. Here, you see, is our stan- 
dard (Fig. 9) all ready; it is made with flat 
JU 
Fig. 9. 
sides, because we can more easily make it 
straight, and it will hold the bender more 
firmly. It has a small notch at the top for 
the twine that binds the bender to fall into, 
so that it can't move, and a little notch at 
the bottom for the string from the end of 
the bender to fall into, as you will gee pres- 
ently. Now for the bender, which must be 
rather shorter than the standard, say one- 
( 
