in the morning, may be spent in making the insect-boxes. These may be of any convenient size, having a depth of not over two and a half or three inches, and furnished with a lid. A shallow cigar-box will answer the purpose. The bottom of the box may be lined with strips of corn-pith, or slices of cork, into which the pins can be easily stuck. Large corkstoppers will do, and these may be cut into lozenge-shaped pieces like this:

These pieces are to be fastened to the bottom of the box by gluing. If strips of corn-pith are used, they may be tacked or glued to the bottom of the box. The box, when finished, will look something like this:

FIG. 50.-INSECT-BOX.

48. The insects, when collected, are to be pinned to the

cork in the way figured, leaving the head of the pin sufficiently above the insect to grasp with the fingers.

Care must be taken not to have the insect too far down on the pin, as its legs in that case would touch the bottom of the box, and break off. Insects may be killed by immersing them in alcohol for a few minutes.

FIG. 51.-INSECT PINNED

Butterflies may be killed by compressing the body between the thumb and forefinger, as shown in the figure, using just force enough to kill, without crushing them. The fumes of benzine, or ether, and of certain poisons, will also kill insects, but these substances should not be suggested to young pupils, as their use is dangerous. (Teachers will here use their judgment according to the character of their classes.) The rude box and common pins are offered simply for experimental collections. The ingenuity of a pupil, where neater collections are desired, will readily secure better ways of making them.

49. The pupils may go out in a class in quest of material

for study, and this is the best way, as the activity and success of one will act as a stimulus to the others.

In the country, the best places to collect are by the roadsides, or borders of woods and groves; in the gardens, and by the fences, or along the shores of lakes and brooks, under stones and stumps, the bark of fallen trees, or beneath the layers of dead leaves. Insects are scarce in deep woods, and in large, open tracts of pasture-land.

In the cities, the parks and gardens will afford good collecting-grounds, as under plank-walks and boards many insects find shelter. Alongside of railroad-tracks the discarded sleepers often hide many a curious beetle. In short,

let the pupil peer under any object large enough to afford shelter to these creatures. By following the furrows made by a plow, certain kinds will surely be met with. The pupil must be urged to pick up every thing that he thinks is an insect, such as grasshoppers, beetles, flies, ants, spiders, etc.

In a single holiday afternoon the pupil will have gathered some of the following animals:

FIG. 53. SOME OF THE ANIMALS COLLECTED.

CHAPTER VIII.

PARTS OF AN INSECT.

50. THE animals are now to be carefully examined. Let the pupils pick out, and arrange together in one portion of the box, all of those which have three pairs of legs. In

some, the legs will be closely drawn to the body, but by sharp looking they will be found.

After studying these carefully, the pupil will observe that those insects which have three pairs of legs have the body divided into three regions, or parts, called respectively the head, thorax, and abdomen, and that, with few exceptions, they all have wings. Insects having these characters are called Insects proper. They are also called Hexapods, a word meaning six legs.

These are to be studied first. The other animals collected may be saved for future study.

51. Some insects have the three parts of the body distinctly separated, as in the ants, flies, and wasps. In other insects the parts of the body are very close together, so that it is difficult to distinguish the dividing line, as in certain beetles. Let the pupils examine each insect, and make out the head, thorax, and abdomen.

In the head, we find the mouth, the eyes, and the feelers,

or antennæ.