such butterflies as the "Blues." I have, of late, almost confined
myself to No. 2 (at 2s. per oz.), a long fine pin, useful for many
purposes (see chapter V).

There are many other sizes, but these will be found quite sufficient
for the beginner. These pins are also gilt, under the impression that
gilding tends to prevent the corrosion of verdigris which the juices
from the bodies of some moths, the Hepialidae especially, induce. This
is not so; the Continental black varnished pins are better safeguards,
but prejudice forbids their use. Messrs. Tayler now make all their
sizes in "enamelled black" to order, at the same prices as their
gilded ones.

Varnishing the common entomological pins with a hard and nearly
colourless varnish has been tried with good effect, though it is a
trial of patience to do this to pins one by one. Really the only thing
to stop grease appearing in the bodies of moths, to the subsequent
breaking of your pins and soiling of your cabinet paper or velvet, is
to open all the insects underneath, take out all their internal
organs, carefully paint the inside with a little of the corrosive
sublimate preparation (see Chapter IV), and fill up the void with
cotton wool. Unfortunately the evil of greasy exudations from the
bodies of unstuffed or low-set insects does not stop at the corrosion
of the pins or greasing of the paper, but in many cases extends to the
underlying cork, which is sometimes so badly greased as to necessitate
the cutting out of the damaged patch to prevent the grease reappearing
when the drawer is newly papered.

GREASE AND MITES.--"Grease" and "mites" are in fact the betes noires
of the entomological collector. When you have an insect, therefore,
old and greasy, but yet "too fondly dear" to throw in the fire, place
the offender on a piece of cork weighted at the bottom with lead and
sink it bodily in a wide-mouthed bottle, partly full of benzoline;
leave it there from a day to a week, according to its state. When it
comes out it will look even worse than before, but after being covered
up with a layer of powdered chalk, magnesia, or plaster of Paris, it
will often come out as good as new.

I say often, for cases occur now and then in which no amount of pains
restores the insect to its pristine freshness; but these exceptions
are few and far between. "Mitey" insects are cured in a similar
manner; in fact, I would advise that all exchanges be submitted to the
benzoline test. I h