Directions for Collecting and Preserving Insects

Transcriber's Note
The original spelling and minor inconsistencies in the spelling and formatting have been maintained. Obvious misprints were corrected and marked-up . The original text will be displayed as a mouse-over pop-up.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.
BY C. V. RILEY, M. A., Ph. D., Honorary Curator of the Department of Insects, U. S. National Museum.
Part F of Bulletin of the United States National Museum, No. 39 (with one plate).
WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1892.

CONTENTS.

There is a constant demand, especially from correspondents of the Museum and also of the Department of Agriculture, for information as to how to collect, preserve, and mount insects. There is also great need of some simple directions on a great many other points connected with the proper packing of insects for transmission through the mails or otherwise; labeling; methods of rearing; boxes and cabinets; text-books, etc. Interest in the subject of entomology has, in fact, made rapid growth in the last few years, and now that nearly every State has an official entomologist connected with its State Agricultural Experiment Station, the number of persons interested in the subject may be expected to increase largely in the near future. I have hitherto made use of the Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, No. 261, which is a pamphlet on collecting and preserving insects prepared by Dr. A. S. Packard. This is out of print, and I have been requested by Prof. Goode to prepare for Bulletin 39, U. S. N. M., something that would cover the whole ground and give the more essential information needed for collectors and students of insect life. I have deemed it unnecessary to go too much into detail, but have studied not to omit anything essential. Customs and methods vary in different countries and with different individuals, but the recommendations contained in the following pages are based upon my own experience and that of my assistants and many acquaintances, and embrace the methods which the large majority of American entomologists have found most satisfactory.