The Butterflies of the British IslesSouth, Richard
Science
The Butterflies of the British Isles
South, Richard
Butterflies -- Great Britain; Butterflies -- Great Britain -- Identification; Lepidoptera -- Great Britain
As specimens after being set will have to remain on the setting boards
or saddles for at least a fortnight, it will be necessary to protect
them not only from dust, but from possible attack by ants, cockroaches,
mice, etc. This is best ensured by placing the sets into a receptacle
called a setting or drying house. Dealers supply these, but the young
collector may have a knowledge of carpentry and could make one for
himself. The height and depth of such a construction would depend upon
the number and the width of the boards or saddles that would be put
therein. The width would be that of the length of the boards, which is
usually 14 inches. About a quarter of an inch of cork is cut off each
end of the saddles, and grooves are cut in the sides of the house for
these to run in. The back and the door should have a square of fine
perforated zinc inserted in them for ventilation. As an example of
holding capacity it may be well to note that a house with a height of 12
inches, and a depth of 6 inches, inside measurement, would take eighteen
2-inch boards if the grooves were cut at 2 inches apart, or twenty-four
boards of same width if 1-1/2 inch only were allowed between the
grooves.
[Illustration: FIG. 21.
=Cotton Method of setting.=]
In taking insects off the sets, the braces or strips should be removed
from the wings, and the pins from the horns, with care, as a good deal
of damage can be done in the performance of this operation, simple as it
seems to be. A little twist of a brace and away goes a patch of scales,
a side slip of a pin and off comes a horn.
Pending the arrival of that twelve or twenty drawer cabinet, the
beginner will probably be content to arrange his specimens in boxes. A
handy sized box is one measuring 14 inches by 10 when closed, and it
should have a cell for naphthaline.
Before putting the specimens away into boxes or drawers they should be
labelled with the date of capture, the locality, the name of the captor,
and any other detail of interest in connection with it. All these
particulars may be written on small squares of paper and put on the pins
under the specimens.
Cabinets or boxes containing insects should always stand where they are
free from damp, otherwise mould may make its appearance on the
specimens. Mouldy insects may be cleaned, but they never look nice
afterwards; so it will be well to bear in mind that prevention is better
than cure. Where drawers and boxes are not properly attended to in the
matter of naphthaline, mites are apt to enter and cause injury to the
specimens. If these pests should effect a lodgment, a little benzine
poured on the bottom of box or drawer will quickly kill them. The
benzine, if pure, will not make the least stain, and of course the
drawer or box must be closed directly the benzine is put in. Do this
only in the daytime.
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