142 
THE NATURALISTS’ JOURNAL. 
score, but the only times of danger are when the stopper is out 
of the bottle, in order that fresh ether or specimens may be put 
into it, or when soiled ether or specimens are being taken out 
of the vessel—consequently, for the minute or so occupied in 
these operations all naked lights should be kept out of the way. 
Mind, this is merely advice ; in practice if I wish to work at the 
ether by gas light the only precaution to be taken is to avoid 
leaving the ether bottle unstoppered for a moment longer than 
is absolutely necessary, and not to get too near the fire or gas—I 
should do precisely the same thing with benzine. 
Grease under ordinary circumstances first shows itself in the 
abdomen, then spreads it whatever may be in contact with 
the greasy surface, at one time to the paper of the setting 
boards or cabinet at another to the hind wings if they have 
been set too closely to the body, otherwise it creeps along 
the surface above and. beneath till it reaches the insertion 
of the wings and the surface of the thorax, over which it 
spreads. So far, comparatively little mischief is done; it is 
when the grease has arrived at the pin that the real work of 
destruction commences; then the last act takes place, the 
obnoxious fluid, following the course of the metal, for the first 
time enters the thorax, wherein in due course it forms a green salt 
of copper which distends and distorts it in such a manner as to twist 
the wings quite out of their normal position. In such a case it is 
easy enough to remove the grease and salt with ether, but the 
wrecked thorax is beyond remedy and unless the specimen be one 
of value it is not worth while to attempt its restoration. Accord¬ 
ing to the extent or the grease, the size of the insect, the age of 
the specimen and whether it is the whole or part or merely the 
bodies which have to be treated, so will the use of the ether be 
modified. 
In the treatment of bodies alone, the most useful vessel to em¬ 
ploy is perhaps a “ sample bottle” which is a glass tube with a 
flat bottom ; the mouth of this has to be fitted with a good soft 
cork and this again requires to be covered with one, two, or three 
thicknesses of bladder, which has been freed from grease by 
wiping and immersion in ether, and afterwards macerated in water 
so that it may be strained tightly over the cork and tied in a tuft 
at the top, by which means a perfectly fitting stopper is obtained ; 
this being very necessary to prevent waste of the fluid by evapora¬ 
tion. Then the bodies of such medium-sized species as are only 
affected in that part, and of all large species above the size of 
an average noctua, even when the whole insect has become 
disfigured,. are broken off, each being pinned with a distinguish¬ 
ing ink written ticket, dropped into the tube, well covered with 
ether, corked tightly, and put away in a cool place from three to 
ten days at the end of which time the bodies are placed in a 
clean bath of ether and left for a second soak which is as a rule 
