A number of different kinds of glue are used by entomologists. The requirements of a good glue are that it be colorless, and, what is of greater importance, that the specimens adhere firmly to the paper points so that there is little or no danger of their being jarred off. Those glues which are readily soluble in cold or lukewarm water are perhaps more convenient than those which require alcohol or chloroform for dissolving. Gum arabic and gum tragacanth have the disadvantage that they are more liable to attract mites and are more brittle, so that they do not hold specimens as well as some of the liquid glues that are on the market. Spalding's glue answers a very good purpose, as also the preparation known to European entomologists as Leprieur's gum. White bleached shellac, while requiring alcohol to dissolve it, has the advantage that a very minute quantity suffices. In olden times the method employed was simply to glue the specimen by the ventral side to the middle of a quadrangular piece of cardboard, which was then pinned on a No. 3 or No. 4 insect pin. This method is still in vogue with English entomologists, but can not be recommended except for mounting duplicates. Much better are the small isosceles triangles which, before mounting the specimen, are pinned through near the base on a No. 2 or No. 3 insect pin. Only the best and finest cardboard should be used for this purpose, since that of poor quality is liable to be broken while passing the pin through it and will yellow with age. "Reynolds's Superfine Board," which may be ordered through any dealer in artist's supplies of Devoe & Co., Fulton street, New York City, is perhaps the best for this purpose. Some of the neatest mounting which I have had done by any of my agents or assistants is by Mr. Albert Koebele, who has used mica or gelatine instead of cardboard, the object being not only to show the whole of the under side of the specimen, but to obscure less of the light from the labels and to render the triangles less conspicuous in the cabinet. These have been in use in the museum collection only for the last two or three years, and whether they will eventually tend to corrode the pins is not yet settled. Mica and isinglass are also used for the same purpose. The points used in mounting may easily be cut by hand to a convenient size, say one-fourth of an inch (6-8 mm) long by one-sixteenth or less at the base, and tapering to a point. The point may be narrower or wider to accommodate insects of different sizes. For cutting these triangles or points, various forms of punches similar to the appended figure (Fig. 97) known to the trade as conductor's punches may be used, and points thus cut are to be preferred to those made by other means, on account of the greater uniformity secured. An experienced hand, however, will cut these points very rapidly and accurately with a pair of shears, and most collectors use no special instrument for this purpose.