Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-11-23
COLLECTING BUTTERFLIES.
How to Catch, Pin and Mount tho Specl
mems Worth Keeping.

How to Catch, Pin and Mount tho Specl-
mems Worth Keeping.
1t does not require very extensive
outfit for collecting butterflies, the
necessary articles being net and a
cyanide bottle. Tho franc OF the
former may bc obtained OF u timer,
the hoop portion being about twelve
inches in diameter. The net is made
OF cheese-cloth, or Swiss muslin. For
the cyanide bottle, get five or ten
cents worth of potassium cyanide,
and drop in few Jumps on the bottom
OF wide-mouthcd bottle or jar. Pour
on this enough plaster OF Paris, mixed
with water, to cover tho cyanide and
let tho plaster dry, whoa it will form
u smooth floor, the deadly fumes from
which will soon kill any insect placed
upon it.
1t is unnecessary TO say that the but
teraies arc caught in the net and trans
fcrred to the bottle, where they soon
expire. ia
Never lot your bottle be crowded, as
the specimens will be injured by rub
bing against each other. When they
are dead, take them out and fold them
in little paper triGngles, which is done
by taking II square piece of paper and
folding two of the opposite corners to-
gether, tho butterfly reposing between
the folds Tho edges are then turned
down to prevent the paper coming un-
folded, and ON the outside is marked a
number, which refers to little book,
n which, opposite the samo number,
you should set down the locality and
date of capture, with any additional
remarks.
Now, the question which arises is
"IIow can they be pruned and mount
edP"
You can obtain insect pms at any
natural-history storo, Nos. and be-
ing the best adapted 10 ordinary use.
The pin is thrust through tho center of
the thorax. A gauge should be made
to keep all specimens at the same dis
tance from the top Of tho pin. Now,
in order TO spread the wings a setting
board is necessary, which is made by
mailing two strips OF board to end
pieces. leaving narrow slit between
the boards from n third TO half an inch.
wide. On one side nail strip OF cork
over tho slit; then, on the other side,
the pin bearing tho butterfly can be
stuck and the wings spread over the
fiat board on each side. Tho front
pair OF wings should be pushed for
ward until their back margins are in n
straight line aud tho rear wings
brought up TO meet them. Lay
over them strip OF paper and pin
them there. Let them stay week or
ten days, when they will have dried,
and when the papers are removed the
wings will still retain tho position they
have been adjusted to-. They are now
ready for the cabinet.
II the specimens arc not placed on
the setting board for some days or
weeks after their capture it will be
necessary TO soften the joints, or the
wings will break when you attempt to
move them. Steaming them, with Il
paper between the steam and the in
sect, is simple method Of doing away
with the stiffness Of joints. On the pin
below each specimen should be, in ad-
dition to the label, u little piece of card
with the number referring to your
record book, so that you can tell just
where each butterfly came from, and
the time It was captured. N H. Ebcr-
hart, Ph. d., in Chicago Inter- Ocean,