The drawbacks to the use of alcohol are: 1st, that all hairy specimens are liable to spoil; 2ndly, that all Coleoptera with soft integuments spread the wing-cases apart if kept too long in it. The advantage of the alcohol is that it is the simplest and least troublesome fluid for naturalists traveling in distant countries who are not specialists in entomology. Specimens killed in alcohol are also less liable to be attacked by verdigris when pinned than those killed by some other method. Rum, whisky, or similar strong alcoholic liquors may be used as substitutes where no pure alcohol can be obtained, but are not especially to be recommended. _Chloroform and Ether._--Killing with the fumes of _chloroform_ or _ether_ (sulphuric or acetic) or _benzine_, or some other etheric oil, is often practiced and advocated by those who, for any reason, dislike the use of alcohol or object, on account of its poisonous nature, to the use of cyanide of potassium, and they are of especial value in the case of butterflies and moths, Hymenoptera and Diptera. "A small and stout bottle of chloroform or ether, with a brush securely inserted into the cork (Fig. 89), will be found very serviceable. A slight moistening through the air net will stupefy most insects caught in it, and facilitate their removal to the cyanide bottle; while a touch or two with the wet brush under the head and thorax, will kill the more delicate specimens outright, without in the least injuring them. Another way of using chloroform is by means of a small, hollow tube passed through the cork, what is called jeweler's hollow wire answering the purpose. The liquid evaporates more readily in such a bottle, and I altogether prefer the first mentioned. Some large insects, and especially female moths, whose size prevents the use of the ordinary cyanide bottles, are difficult to kill. With these, fluttering may be prevented by the use of chloroform, or they may be killed by puncturing the thorax or piercing the body longitudinally, with a needle dipped in liquid cyanide, or oxalic acid. A long bottle with a needle thrust into the cork may be kept for this purpose; but the needle must be of ivory or bone, as those of metal are corroded and eaten by the liquids. * * * [Illustration: FIG. 89.--Chloroform bottle with brush.] "For killing small and delicate moths which have been bred, I find nothing more handy than chloroform. They may be caught in turned wooden boxes which are kept by every druggist; and a touch of the chloroform on the outside of the box immediately stupefies them. It has a tendency to stiffen them, however, and they are best set immediately after death." [Illustration: FIG. 90.--Bottle with liquid cyanide.] [Illustration: FIG. 91.--The Cyanide bottle with paper strips to give support to the insects.]