he beetles, after being killed, are
plunged into benzoline (benzol) for two or three days, to cleanse them
from grease and impurities. Indeed, it considerably simplifies matters
to carry a bottle of benzol, as I do when collecting beetles, to
plunge them into when first taken. It instantly kills, and the
cleansing operation goes on at once. On reaching home the beetles are,
after a day or two, pinned, or gummed unset on to any pieces of card
in any manner most suitable at the time to economise space; the cards
can then be pinned into a store-box.

During the winter months, or at any time when required, the beetles
may be set, thus: first, plunge them into water for a day or so until
quite limp, then take them out and place them one by one on separate
pieces of card, well gummed in the centre to retain them firmly by the
abdomen whilst being set. A very little time will suffice to do this
should the gum be strong.

After twenty or so are fixed, the first one gummed down can be
finished off. The card is smeared with gum where the legs, or rather
"tarsi," will come into place, and arranged with a setting needle. Now
carefully place the limbs into a natural and even position, their feet
resting on the gummed surface; adjust the antennae, etc, and leave the
insect to dry by pinning the card in any suitable receptacle. When
perfectly set and dry, the final operations are once more plunging the
beetle into benzoline, then wetting its abdomen and feet to release it
from the dirty card, and lastly slightly re-gumming the underneath and
tips of the feet with cement (see Formula 33) and finally adjusting it
on a clean card, which may be labelled or numbered, and secured by a
small pin at each end in the cabinet or store-box.

COLLECTING AND OTHER BOXES.--The collecting box is a small box made to
fit the pocket, corked top and bottom, opening in the middle, and made
of sufficient depth to allow the heads of the pins on one side to well
clear the insects, which may be pinned on the other. Collecting boxes
may be made of various woods and of various sizes to suit the pleasure
and pocket of the collector. They should be made light but strong, and
a little fillet of thin wood should be inserted along one side on the
front edge, to ensure the close fitting of the box. Another sort of
collecting box is that corked at the bottom, having a flat lid, on
which a piece of cork is glued, and cut to fit the box tightly when
closed, thus form