Evening star., 1902-08-09
BUTTERFLY COLLECTING.
Hints for Boys Who Would Like to
Try Their Hand at It.

Butterflies. because of their conspicuous
ness and beauty and their occurrence al
most everywhere, furnish attractive and
ready means for studying the many curl
Gus ways in which nature provides for her
creatures. says the New Y ork Sun
Collecting butterflies is an interesting
pursuit especially for boys in the country
on vacation, and, besides, may become a
profitable pastime. The most ordinary COL
iectlons often sell for fair prices, while
those more elaborate, especially if they fol-
low out some scheme, as a collection to in
dicate sleeping or feeding habits, or rep
Tesenting the varying daily or seasonal pc
culiarlties OF the insects, will be very val
dollars
The apparatus necessary for collecting
and arranging these winged beauties is sim
pie. The first thing is the means of cap
turing
Capturing Is done by means of a net
which can be made from a small hoop at
tached to the end Of an old broom handle
The body Of the net is made of mosquito
netting and should be about two feet deep
II the hoop is foot in diameter
With little practice one can become
skillful in handling the net and catch but
terfiiss rapidly and without in any way in
Juring their delicate wings. In approaching
the insect 1t is well TO wait until II has
alighted, and TO bring the net close to ii as
slowly as possible, and keep II near the
ground and out Of sight When very close
10 the prey sudden stroke, followed by
quick backward movement, will bag the
butterfly and fold the net over SO that 1t
cannot escape.
Never touch the wings with the fingers in
removing the insect. Carefully insert the
killing bottle and allow the butterfly TO
hUtter into the bottle and the insertion of
the cork Will hold it a prisoner.
The killing bottle should be a wide
h4sH hg1ff1 int hfHh hrYf- -a,-1rr
can pass without injury to the wings. In
the bottom should be placed securely by
means Of shellac small piece Of cotton
which IS wet with benZine or common gaso-
lene.
The vapors from these substances produce
an easy and painless stupor ending in death.
do not be hasty in removing the butterfly
after he has gone to sleep, because the
fresh air often revives II.
After the insects are captured and killed
they are already to be pinned and set For
pinning always use insect pins, which are
much thinner than common pins and will
not rust They cost cents a hundred
A butterfly should be pinned through the
middle of the therax, and In such way that
the body is at right angles TO the pin The
thorax is between the head and the point
where the wings join the body.
After the insect is properly pinned, 1t Is
ready Tor setting. and for this process
setting board is necessary. The setting
board is plain. fiat board with numbers of
holes large enough to take the head Of the
pin
The insect is laid on the board back
down, with the head OF the pin In the
hoie- The wings are then spread and pin
ned down to the board IN such way as to
snow all that Is possible OF their surface.
Inc fore wings should be pulled forward
20 Tar that their hind edges may be In the
?ame straight line. and the hind wings
brought to such a position as to leave about
tne same gap next to the body as to the
front wings In pulling these wings for
ward a pin may be used. inserting 1t lust
pehiaa the strong vein or rib, which 10