320 
SEWING AND PRESERVING IftSECtS. 
warmer temperature oi' body and a swifter circulation of the fluids. 1 0 
the philosophic mind it is self-evident, that they have not such acute 
organs of feeling pain as other animals of a similar size whose juices 
are endowed with a quicker motion, and possess a constant, regular, 
and genial warmth — such as young mice or the naked young of birds : 
if any of these have the misfortune to lose their heads or limbs from 
force, speedy death is the certain consequence : but insects under si- 
milar circumstances, it is well known, are capable of surviving a consi- 
derable time." For small Moths, it is only necessary to put the pin 
through the thorax, and they die in a very short time. The minute spe- 
cies of this Order should be collected in chip boxes, as they are in ge- 
neral too small to be pierced when first taken ; they soon die, and the 
wings become stiff before the Entomologist has time to set them ; but 
if brought home in separate pill-boxes they will remain alive for seve- 
ral days, and are instantly killed by being exposed near the fire, or 
placed under a tumbler with the lid of the box slightly elevated, but not 
sufficient to allow the insect to escape; a lighted match should then he 
placed under the tumbler, which will deprive the insect of life in a few 
seconds of time. The pin, which serves to transfix the insect, should be 
passed through the thorax in the centre, and in an upright position, so 
that in looking on the insect: no part of the wings should be obscured by 
the slope of the pin. The insects of this Order are by far the most dif- 
ficult to set, for they require great care and much practice to display 
them with that nicety which adds so much beauty to their appearance 
and uniformity in a collection. 
The method of setting the Insects if tins Order is by braces : a sin- 
gle brace should be first introduced unde rthe wing near the thorax, as 
in pi. 12. fg. 3. a, with a longer brace over the wings, as at b; this 
should not touch the wing, but he ready to he pressed gently down : 
when the wings arc raised to their proper place by the setting needle 
e, other braces are to be applied according as they are required : the 
antenna; and feet arc to he extended to their proper attitude, and kept 
so by pins or small braces. 
Some Moths are very liable to change colour when placed in the ca- 
binet after a short time: an oily matter is common to all insects, but 
some are charged with a superabundance. It appears at first in spots 
on the body, but gradually pervades every part; in some it will even 
descend into the wings, ami then an obliteration of all the beautiful 
markings is the least that may he expected: the method which is the 
most successful for recovering the original appearance after the insect 
has become greasy, is to powder some fine dry chalk on a piece ot 
heated iron, cover the chalk with a very fine piece of linen cloth, and 
thereto apply the under part of the body of the insect: the heat oi 
the iron dissolves the grease while the chalk absorbs it, and the cloth 
prevents the chalk from clotting to the insect. 
