226 ELEMENTARY STUDIES IN INSECT LIFE 



pith, or cork, a strap fastened around three sides, then 

 long enough to go over the shoulder, should be taken on 

 every collecting trip. Several sizes of pins should be 

 taken in separate vials, a killing-fluid, such as chloro- 

 form or gasoline, in another bottle. Then, when such 

 insects as butterflies, which would be destroyed by rub- 

 bing among other insects in the cyanide bottle, are 

 taken, these can be killed while still in the net by pour- 

 ing a little of the killing-fluid over them. In this way 

 they can be removed from the net without danger of 

 escape. The proper-sized pin can be placed through the 

 thorax and the insect pinned in the cigar-box, to be 

 removed and spread upon return to the laboratory. 

 With these simple and easily procured equipments, 

 added to a pair of keen eyes, we are ready for the 

 acquisition of material for our field study. 



Field Collecting. Many devices are used to lure and 

 trap insects. Brief mention only will be made of such 

 devices, since the student will gain his greatest knowl- 

 edge of the habits of insects by collecting them in 

 their native haunts. The careful student can soon 

 learn to know for himself where certain classes of insect 

 life abound; what life is confined to the forest, to the 

 orchard, the meadow, and the open pasture; what 

 classes live in the running streams and what ones live in 

 the quiet pools. 



The foregoing chapters have had something to say 

 about the habitat of certain prominent insects. It is 

 taken for granted that the first collecting will be for 

 land collecting. The grass contains many forms which 

 live near the ground. By sweeping the net back and 

 forth in front of you, many of these will be captured. 



