52 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR 
bottle ; but care must be taken to see that the sides of the bottle and 
surface of the cyanide are not wet, as the more delicate insects are 
apt to stick to the surface and get spoiled. To prevent this when 
collecting Coleoptera and Hemiptera, the upper space may be partly 
filled with crumpled pieces of blotting-paper, among which the insects 
may bury themselves. This also prevents them rolling about and in- 
juring one another. Under no circumstances should the specimens be 
left in the cyanide a moment longer than necessary. Cyanide changes 
the colour of some insects, green becoming yellow, yellow becoming red. 
Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, and other non-hairy insects 
may be killed by throwing them into boiling water ; but they must 
be taken out as quickly as possible, and placed on blotting-paper to 
drain off the water. 
Butterflies may be killed by pinching the thorax laterally while 
the wings are in an upright position ; but although this is necessary 
sometimes, it requires to be done with care, as it is apt to distort 
the body and render the specimens difficult to set. 
Pinning and Mounting. 
Uymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and 
JVeuroptera should be pinned through 
the middle of the thorax. The position 
of the pin is indicated in the illustrations 
by a black dot. 
HYMENOPTERA. 
Coleoptera should be pinned through the right 
wing-case near the base, and in such a way 
that the pin comes out below behind the middle 
pair of legs. As a rule the pin should be equally 
distant from the base and the side of the wing- 
COLKOrTKRA. 
