144 
AMERICAN AGRIOTJLTURiaT. 
[Apml, 
of which are semi-fluid, pass the severest win¬ 
ter without loss of vitality, and %vhat is more 
remarkable, without rupturing the shells by the 
freezing of their contents. The eggs shown in 
the engraving are those of the katy-did, or some 
allied species of grasshopper, and are represent¬ 
ed about one-fourth larger than the real size. 
These are of a slate color, and are deposited 
with great regularity in two rows, each egg 
overlapping its neighbor; and they 
have not the mutual protection which 
the crowded ones of the tent-caterpil¬ 
lar afford one another. Those in this 
specimen, though it had been exposed 
to a cold of 10° or 15° below zero, 
were i^erfect, and will doubtless hatch 
in the spring. It is well known that 
liquids expand in freezing and with 
great force. It is also known that 
water, if kept perfectly quiet, may be 
cooled to several degrees below the 
freezing point, and still remain liquid, 
but that the slightest disturbance will 
cause water thus cooled to assume the 
solid form at once. One of our nat¬ 
uralists—Prof. Wyman, we believe it 
was—has shown that the contents of 
the eggs of insects remain liquid dur¬ 
ing the most severe cold, as long as 
they are undisturbed, but if, while at 
a low temperature, the shell be punc¬ 
tured by a needle, they immediately 
become solid, expand, and a portion 
is projected out through the orifice 
thus made. With regard to the eggs above 
figured, we have never known them to be very 
abundant. The katy-did and its relatives of 
course eat something, but they more than com¬ 
pensate for that by their summer nights’ song. 
Setting' up and Preserving Insects. 
BY DOCT. F. HODGE, HUDSON, OHIO. 
[The following very practical directions have 
been furnished by Doct. Hodge, and will be 
acceptable to those who desire to make a col¬ 
lection of Entomological specimens. The pres¬ 
ent article refers to the preservation of butter¬ 
flies and moths only, but we hope to have the 
manner of preserving other insects described.] 
“ If the moth sits with its wings roofed, a 
touch near the head witli a brush or swab soak¬ 
ed in chloroform will drop him—Use a camel’s 
hair pencil with the brush cut short, or, what I 
prefer, a small hickory stick with saddler’s 
silk bound upon the end after the manner of a 
broom, the ends cut off even, and the strands of 
silk combed out with a pin. This makes a du¬ 
rable swab, which the chloroform will not spoil 
very soon. Then take the moth under the 
w'ings between the thumb and first finger, and 
insert a n^dle, dipped in a solution of Cyanide 
of Potassium, under the chin, and run it length¬ 
wise through the body, taking care that it does 
not strike out; recharge the needle and repeat 
the operation until the moth is dead.—The so¬ 
lution is made with one drachm of the Cyanide 
of Potassium in one ounce of water. It is well 
to recollect that this is highly poisonous. The 
needle used for applying the solution is a largest 
sized sewing needle, and for the largest moths, 
a large darning needle. Drive it foint first into 
a small wmoden handle. Use the blunt eye-end 
for the piercer; it will kill in half the time that 
the point would, as it makes a larger hole, and 
carries more poison. The large moths and 
sphinxes will oftentimes refuse to die under the 
above treatment, but it is the best we can do for 
them, unless their bodies can be stuffed. But¬ 
terflies and moths that rest with their wings 
folded together, will need no chloroform. Take 
such insects carefully between the thumb and 
fore-finger, and proceed at once to poisoning. 
Stuffing.—W ith small, straight surgeon’s 
scissors, cut open the abdomen and a small por¬ 
tion of the thorax; with ■ forceps, remove the 
eggs and other contents, and then with small 
pledgets of cotton, swab out what remains care¬ 
fully and delicately. Make the stuffing by roll¬ 
ing between the thumb and finger an oblong 
ball of cotton, one-third smaller than the abdo¬ 
men was before it was opened, wind it with 
thread to preserve its form, roll it freely in pow¬ 
dered arsenic (arsenious acid), and insert it care¬ 
fully, pulling up the sides with the forceps, or a 
pin head. Then put in tw’o or three stitches 
w ith a fine needle and thread, each stitch sep¬ 
arate, cut off each stitch as inserted, leaving the 
ends of good length, and tie none until all are 
in. Tie the middle stitch first, cut off the ends 
close, and then do the same with the others. 
Setting Up. —For large-bodied moths, have 
a pine board, with a groove not over one-third 
the diameter of the body of the moth. For but¬ 
terflies, and a great many moths, I prefer the 
plain, flat board, with no groove. If the groove 
is too deep, it gives a bad unnatural look to the 
wings. Boi'c a small hole with an awl or knife 
blade in the bottom of the groove, or where the 
pin is to go, say one-eighth of an inch deep, 
but not through the board. This hole (see fig. 
2) is used, in order that, wiien the specimen is 
dry and placed in the cabinet, the body and all 
may stand away from the cork or board in which 
the pin is inserted. In putting the pin through 
the moth, be careful to have it perpendicular, 
with the point coming out on the under side, 
nearer to the extremity of the abdomen than 
the place of its insertion, or top, as in figure 1. 
Introduce the pin into the awl hole in the board 
and press it in firmly. Figure 2 shows the 
body of the insect as placed for drying, and fig. 
3, the same wiien dried and placed in the cabi¬ 
net. Spread the wings with pins. With the 
Lunas and most of the large moths, introduce 
the pins in the fore-wings in the sort of hard 
band or edge of the wings. The back wings 
of the large moths will almost always tear wiien 
bringing them to place, but with proper care 
this will do no harm. The tearing can be pre¬ 
vented somewiiat b}’’ inserting the pins slanting 
forward as is shown in figure 4, which repre¬ 
sents an Atlanta butterfly set up for drying. 
When the moth is dry, in tw'o weeks or more — 
never less—turn the pins, used in the wings, 
around in their holes, before attempting to draw 
them out; this prevents tearing the wings, and 
leaves as small a hole as possible. All the large 
Fig. 4. —ATLANTA BUTTEKFLT. 
moths and sphinxes should be stuffed, but if 
successful in killing the sphinxes at the first trial, 
they may very likely be successfully dried with¬ 
out stuffing, especially those wiiich have been 
captured, but not so likely with those that have 
been raised. If thorough poisoning does not 
kill the insect, stuff it by all means. Removing 
the contents of the abdomen and stuffing with 
arsenic, is certain to kill them dead. When the 
body is stuffed, be careful not to leave any open 
rings upon the back; if by bad handling there 
should chance to be one or more, try to smooth 
them out, by careful pressure wdth the cylinder 
of a lead pencil, or by placing the finger upon 
the extremity of the abdomen, and shortening 
it up. Figure 5 is Saturnia lo, shownng the 
9 
Fig. 5.— SATURNIA 10. 
manner of using a grooved board for large bod¬ 
ied moths. The antennae, of large moths espec¬ 
ially, should be propped up by a strip of blot¬ 
ting paper, half an inch wide and bent into the 
form of fig. 6. This paper is secured to the board 
Fig. 6. 
by pins, and the antennae are supported upon 
it. This should be removed the third day, be¬ 
fore the antennae become so dry as to be brittle." 
