APPARATUS USED BY ENTOMOLOGISTS. 
311 
The best method for a young Entomologist is to obtain a cabinet of 
about thirty drawers, arranged in two tiers, and covered m with fold- 
ing doors. There is a great convenience in this size, as the cabinets 
are rendered more portable ; and cabinets may be added ot the same 
s 'ze, as the collection increases, without injuring the uniformity, may 
be placed on each other, and carried to any extent. It is immaterial 
whether the cabinet is made of mahogany or wainscot ; sometimes 
they are made of cedar wood, but seldom of deal or any other wood 
that is soft ; small holes or cells must be made on the inside ot the 
fronts for camphor. . 
Corking op Drawers. — The readiest way is to buy the r ork pre- 
pared, which may be obtained at most of the cork-cutters ; but this 
will be found expensive for large cabinets. I have generally bought it 
in the rou<di state, and cut it into strips about three inches wide (the 
length is immaterial if the method advised hereafter is pursued); 
these strips must be fixed in a vice, and, if the substance ot the cork 
will admit, split down the middle with a fine saw, (greasing the 
saw must be avoided as much as possible, as it will stain the paper 
Used for covering it afterwards;) the out or black side is to be rasp- 
ed down to a certain smoothness, as well as the middle or inside. 
Having reduced the slips to about three-eighths of an inch in thick- 
ness, glue each piece (the darkest or worst side) on a sheet ot In own 
or cartridge paper; this should he laid on a deal hoard about three 
feet in length, and the width required for the drawer or box : a few fine 
nails or brads must be driven through each piece of cork, to keep it 
firm and m its place until the glue be dried: by tins means sheets of 
cork may he formed of the size of the drawer. All the irregularities 
must be filed or rasped down quite even, and the whole surface ren- 
dered perfectly smoodi bv rubbing it over with pumice-stone : the 
sheet, thus formed and finished, must lie glued into the drawers, to 
prevent its warping ; some weights must he equally distributed over 
the cork, that it may adhere firmly to the bottom of 1 lie drawer: when 
quite dry, the weights must be removed, and the cork covered with 
paper, which should be of the finest quality, but not very stout ; the 
Paste should soak well into the paper previous to being laid over the 
cork, which, if smoothly laid on, and gently rubbed over with a clean 
cloth or soft paper, will he rendered perfectly smooth and tight when 
dry. . , 
It is absolutely necessary that the cabinets should be kept in a dry 
situation, otherwise the insects will become mouldy on the antennae, 
legs, &c This evil will also occur it the insect is put m the cabinet be- 
fore it is thoroughly dry. Should an insect at any time become mouldy, 
a camel’s hair pencil dipped in clean spirits ol wine, in which a little 
camphor is dissolved, will soon clean it; but the insect must be dried 
in a warm place before being again placed in the cabinet. 
