The Delawarean., 1900-07-14

by most eyeS-many small insect can
be collected from grass or bushes by
sweeping" and beating, which
could not be oiherwtsse secured. In
sweeping" the net is brushed quickly
back and forth through the grass or
weeds as one would sweep with a
broom, after each stroke giving it a
sharp twist so that the insects cannot
escape. In beating the net is held
below bushes. weeds, or vines, with
the mouth open and by sharp up
ward stroke the insects are Jared into
it. After little time the net should
| be given few sharp jerks to collect
the insects into the bottom or in a tin
bucket in which is a piece of cotton
saturated with choloroform.
THE KILLING BOTTLE.
The killing bottle should have wide
mouth, a pickle bottle, or even a pint
glass fruit can will do This should
have a good tight stopper which may
be easily removed. Get two cents
worth of cyanide of potassium and one
cents worth of plaster of Paris from
the druggist. Break the lump of
cyanide into several pieces and place
| it in the bottle. Be careful in handling
the cynide not to lose any as it Is a
most deadly poison. Barely cover the
pieces of cyanide with sawdust and
over this pour a thin layer of plaster
of Paris. Leave the bottle open in a
cool, shady place for an hour, then
clean the plaster from the sides, cork
lit UP and it is ready for use The bot
tie should be labelled poison" a red
label with skull and cross-bones can
be secured from any druggist. Be
careful not to inhale the fumes given
off from the bottle, for if they are
strong enough to kill insects they will
at least cause man considerable dis
comfort, as they are exceedingly
poisonous In warm weather the kill
ling bottle frequently becomes so moist
as to injure the more delicate insects.
Strips of blotting paper should then be
put in it and be replaced by others as
they become damp
Some insects can be readily caught
from flowers and leaves by merely
holding the Bottle under them and then
quickly putting in the cork and knock
ing them in. In catching insects from
the net place the bottle inside the net
with mouth over the insect and then
insert the cork from the outside, leav-
ing it until the insect becomes stuper-
fled when it may be removed, and
another captured. In removing butter
flies from the net, catch them under the
wings with the thumb and forefinger
and give them a firm pinch for a few
moments which will soon suffocate
brush all the scales from -1heir wings
in the killing bottle.
For carrying safely and keeping diff
ferent specimens separate, a number of
small pill boxes. homeopathic vials, or
large gelatine capules may be found
convenient. Butterflies may be carried
in paper triangles These are made by
taking one end of rectangular piece
of paper and tapping over the corner
diagonally so as to form a triangle at
one end, and then folding over the
other end so as to form a triangular
envelope with one side open. The
butterfly is dropped in, the open side
given fold or two, and any notes con-
cerning the capture recorded on the
outside.
PINNING INSECTS.
To place chem in the collection IN
sects must first be pinned. Regular
pins are long and slender and less
easily crowded than common pins
Sizes l, and are most used and may
be secured of any chronological dealer
at 15 cents per 100. If these are too
expensive black-headed steel mourning
pins which may be bought at any dry
goods store do fairly we'll
All insects except beetles should be
pinned through the thorax or that part
of the body just back of the head.
Beetles are pinned through the front
of the right wing cover. Very small
insects may be glued TO bits of card
board which can be readily pinned.
The wings of butterflies, grasshop-
pers, large flies and bees should be