THE BIRD-TABLE | 239 
should be arranged in proper order, and the cases 
containing them should be as air-tight as possible. 
To keep mites from attacking the specimens a small 
piece of camphor should be placed and secured in a 
corner of each case. Don’t admit any more light 
to your specimens than is really necessary, and don’t 
make up cases to be hung in full daylight on a wall. 
Specimens soon deteriorate when submitted to the 
continued action of strong light. Always use proper 
entomological pins, as ordinary pins soon corrode 
and ruin the specimens which are held by them. 
The right sort of pins can be had from dealers, whose 
advertisements may be seen in various journals 
devoted to Nature-study. 
There are some foreign insects, such as the 
Praying Mantis and the Stick Insects, which make 
very interesting pets. The eggs may be had from 
the dealers and hatched out at home, the insects 
being accommodated in suitable cages. 
For the identification of Butterflies and Moths, 
and also for guidance in their classification and 
arrangement, you will find Gordon’s ‘“‘ Our Common 
Butterflies and Moths” an excellent volume. It 
contains a thousand coloured illustrations, and is not 
expensive. 
In winter-time hunger makes birds bold. As you 
know, they may be attracted to close quarters by 
the judicious scattering of food. You should take 
every opportunity of observing them carefully when 
hunger brings them so near to your homes. If 
possible a bird-table should be fixed near a window 
from which the visiting birds can be watched. 
Plate 60, a, gives you a representation of a bird-table 
