PREPARATIONS FOR A CABINET. 
25 
a lighted lamp. A small spring of steel fastened to the end of the 
straw in such a way that it may prevent the slipping of the larva 
skin as it is inflated will prove useful, and a little sheet-iron oven to 
slip over the lamp, having small openings above and below, will pre¬ 
vent the burning of the specimens as they dry. Many larvae, espe¬ 
cially the hairy ones, will look well if carefully prepared in this way. 
A considerable number though look anything but like the natural 
caterpillar. 
I have tried another method with success, which, requiring little 
more skill, is much more satisfactory in its results. Treat the cater¬ 
pillar the same as if it were to be inflated with air, but instead, inject 
into it hot paraffine or beeswax, colored to resemble the contents of 
the natural insect. This is done as follows: Procure at the drug 
store a small collapsible rubber syringe (the ball and tubing connected 
with an atomizer for perfume will answer as well), and into the open¬ 
ing insert a piece of small brass tubing, having a small steel spring 
attached to hold the larva. Purchase a quantity of paraffine or 
white beeswax, put it in a tin with boiling water, and when melted 
add the proper coloring by mixing with it oil colors from a collapsi¬ 
ble tube, such as are made by Winsor & Newton and procurable at 
any store where artist’s materials are sold; Now draw boiling water 
up into the syringe a few times until it is thoroughly warmed, and 
then quickly fill it with the hot paraffine and inject the skin of the 
caterpillar (which should have been previously placed in warm water) 
to its normal size. If the larva is now put into cold water it will 
soon harden and will keep its shape. If the paraffine is of the right 
color, the resemblance to the natural insect will be very striking. 
Specimens treated in this way are hard but are not nearly so brittle 
as those inflated and dried with hot air. 
Of course, either method requires some careful manipulation; 
but with a little practice the results, especially with the paraffine, are 
encouraging. The resemblance to the natural caterpillar will be still 
nearer if the skin can be painted wherever warts and spots occur. 
These are frequently red or blue, while the general surface is green. 
But this belongs more to the professional, and skilful painting can 
hardly be expected from the amateur. 
The chrysalides and cocoons of different kinds are not difficult to 
preserve and usually look pretty well if simply dried. Some of the 
translucent chrysalides will be improved if the contents are taken out 
at the back and the space filled with colored wax or paraffine. 
