12 NIGHT BUTTERFLIES. 



alight on the walls or table and secure them, some of these small things are 

 of great rarity, and it is among these we must look for new and hitherto 

 unknown kinds, as the larger and more conspicuous ones, are those to which 

 the most attention has heretofore been given. 



And finally in collecting, always bear the following directions in mind : 



1st. Always retain a poor or damaged example until you get a better one 

 of the same kind. 



2d. Collect all kinds, large and small, beautiful and ugly, scarce and com- 

 mon, those that fly by night (moths) as well as those that fly by day. 



3d. Get as many different kinds as possible. 



4th. Get as many of each kind as possible. 



5th. Recollect that no matter how common a species may be in one locality, 

 there are other places where it is not found at all, and where naturalists 

 would be glad to get it. 



6th. Always endeavor to secure as many of the night butterflies (moths) as 

 possible, both large and small, for these have been the most neglected. 



7th. Try your utmost to induce your friends in other localities to collect, 

 for many that may not be found in your neighborhood, may occur in theirs; 

 and bear in mind that every fifty miles produces variation in many species. 



8th. Should any species be taken in copulation make note of the fact, as in 

 some instances the sexes are very dissimilar, and this is generally a sure way 

 of knowing if they be sexes of the same insect. 



9th. Look particularly for varieties and aberrant forms of various species, 

 there occur sometimes individuals presenting differences, and in some in- 

 stances to such an extent as to almost force us to believe they are new species, 

 as is the case with the variety of Papilio Asterius called P. Calverleyi, of 

 Aryynnis Idalia called A. Ashtaroth, of Vanessa anliopa called V, Hygiaea 

 ( V. Lintncrii, Fitch), of Pyramcis cardui called P. Ely mi, etc., &c. 



10th. Bear it in mind that some species appear in abundance some years, 

 whilst in others scarcely one will be obtained ; so in seasons of plenty pre- 

 pare for dearth, and capture all you can ; for should you get a thousand or 

 more of a kind, it is a small number to supply the numerous entomologists 

 in different parts of the world who may want them. 



PREPARING FOR THE COLLECTION. 



After you have returned home from the fields and fens with your accumulated 

 treasures, and have recruited yourself with food, rest you must not, (for if 

 you think of lying down for a few minutes or a l^ilf an hour, the demon of 

 inertia will seize you, and your butterflies will lay till some other day,) you 

 can immediately expand the larger examples; the smaller ones are probably 

 too much dried to attempt them at present, of which more anon ; for the pur- 

 posing of expanding and drying your specimens you must have setting-blocks 

 or boards of various sizes (see fig. I, plate II,) to suit the different examples; 

 these blocks should be made off inch wood, with a groove cut in the middle 

 about to ^ inch deep for the large butterflies and moths, and \ inch for the 

 smaller ones ; the block should be thickest at the two outer edges and a little 



