ACQUISITION AND PRESERVATION 227 



Tree and bush life, insects which live upon foliage, can 

 be procured in the same way by sweeping the leaves of 

 the trees and shrubs. Kocks, logs, and piles of leaves 

 are the habitations of certain forms. Overturn such 

 abodes of insects and see what ones live there. 



Young collectors are apt to overlook certain forms to 

 which great importance must be attached. Galls in 

 weeds, upon leaves, and twigs of trees are readily ob- 

 served and easily taken. Every one who has carefully 

 observed the golden-rod stalk in the early spring is 

 aware of spherical enlargements upon the stalk. Col- 

 lect a number of these in the early spring, place them 

 under a glass tumbler, and watch them from day to 

 day. You will soon have ascertained the cause of the 

 swelling. Then, caterpillars must not be overlooked. 

 They represent developing life. The changes taking- 

 place in such forms are fraught with interest. Place 

 some of each species in alcohol or formalin, and bring 

 the others to the laboratory to be reared. Water life 

 teems with interesting forms. In ponds and sluggish 

 streams, where vegetation fringes the shores, with a 

 common garden rake immature insects and indeed some 

 fully developed insects can be brought to shore. 



Note-Book. Many insects spend much of their lives 

 skimming over the water, and others live upon the 

 vegetation growing out of the water. And so, in col- 

 lecting, the acquisition of materials is but one of the 

 considerations. The blank book for field-notes should 

 be a record of every insect taken. The geographic 

 location should be noted. 



The notes upon insects taken should give the day and 

 year, time of day, kind of d;iy.--hot or cold, clear or 



