let Number Four ABEL HARD-BODIED INSECTS CE GRAY Insects and Spiders seum of Natural History number the thicker the pin. Most insects commonly taken by beginners can be pinned on number threes. Number fives are good for the largest species, while a specimen too small for a number one is too small for simple pinning and must have special treatment. Insect pins are sold, in lots of one- or five hundred, by scientific supply houses, which can be found in the classified telephone books of most large cities. If there are none closer to you, you will find the following firms good sources of entomological equipment: Wards Natural Science Est., P. O. Box 24, Beechwood Station, Rochester, New York; General Scientific Supply House, Inc., 761 East 69th Place, Chicago, Illinois. 2. Forceps. Many insects are too small to handle without the aid of tweezers or forceps. You will have to have at least one pair, slender, pointed, and straight or curved at the tip, according to preference. For butterflies and moths you may want a broad-ended, smooth-faced stamp forceps and, though not absolutely necessary, a heavy, curved, rough-faced pin forceps will be very useful. All may be obtained at the same place that you get your pins. 3. Scissors. Small and sharp. 4. Paper. Stiff, hard surfaced, white, and about as thick as a visiting card. This will be used to make pin labels and points for mounting very small insects. 5. Pen and Ink. The pen should have the finest available point. The kind called "Crowquill" is very good. Black waterproof India ink will make the clearest and most durable labels. 6. Glue. This is used to fasten small insects to points, and to repair broken specimens. True glue, water soluble and slow setting, can be used at need; but it will not stick to oily specimens and in hot and humid weather tends to soften and "come unstuck." White shellac diluted with alcohol was, for a long time, the best available adhesive. It sets in a moderately short time mounted, is valueless for scientific y orderly method of keeping a collection s the basic requirements is acceptable. e described is that now used by most teur and professional entomologists for hard-bodied forms. TOOLS AND MATERIALS and materials which you will need for r collection are few but essential. They Pins. st hard-bodied insects are preserved ing and, when dry, are extremely brittle, ly impaled upon special insect pins, as 1. The pins serve both as convenient pted scientific method of mounting hard-boiled s a means of securing the specimens in boxes. They are made of steel, an inch ing and of various thicknesses. The signated by a number, the higher the