108 NOTES ON THE COLLECTING AND 
u frames ” (from off which the specimens may be cut at 
leisure; and at times, as for instance the winter, when we 
are comparatively unoccupied) are at once applicable,- 
whilst they enable us to stow into a single, compact drawer 
upwards of two thousand individuals at least, which, accord¬ 
ing to the usual plan, would have occupied two or three 
cumbersome store-boxes for their reception. 
The mode of setting Coleoptera may be briefly described 
as follows. The insects having been taken out of their bottle, 
when killed, if you have not time to expand them whilst 
fresh, put them into a minute bag (silk is the best), to be 
thrown amongst your bruised laurel leaves. They will keep 
pliant for a long time there, though it is desirable not to let 
them remain in it much beyond a week. When you have 
leisure to mount a few of them, take a certain number out 
from the bag; and, having gummed thickly a space on your 
cardboard equal to, at least, the entire specimen when efr 
panded, place the beetle upon it, drag out the limbs with a 
pin, and, leaving it to dry, go on with the next one that pre¬ 
sents itself. As the card lias to be cut, afterwards, around 
your insect (so as to suit it), there is no advantage in gum¬ 
ming it precisely straight upon your frame, —though it h 
true that a certain amount of care in this respect lessens your 
after-labour, of cutting-off, very materially. 
When your frame has been filled, and you are desirous of 
separating the species, cut off the entire cardboard (inline* 
diately within the frame) with a penknife, and perform the 
remainder of your work with finely-pointed scissors. Al¬ 
though at first this process may seem to be tedious, a little 
practice will soon make perfect; whilst the advantages ol 
the system are so obvious, that, when once adopted, it 
assuredly never be relinquished. For several years past I 
have tested it most rigidly (not only in this country but on 
the continent also), and have attempted no other mode; and 
