33 



HARDWICKE'S SCIEN CE-GO S S IP. 



savans may take up and thoroughly elucidate this 

 interesting; question. 



Blackheath. E. C. Lefroy. 



INSECT NETS. 



AS I was much dissatisfied with the nets in ordi- 

 nary use, the light ones being fragile and 

 the strong ones weighty and inelegant, I con- 

 structed one i^ which answers all the requirements of 

 those who have used it. 1 have therefore ventured 

 to describe it for the readers of Science-Gossip. 

 The net should be scarcely more than half a yard 

 deep, and its circumference at the mouth should not 

 exceed one yard. To make a strong tube for the 

 admission of cane, stitch a " false hem " of calico 



prevent the wire slipping, it will be necessary to 

 notch both bamboo and cane at a, a ; but at b, b, 

 the cross-piece only must be notched. 



Fig. 22. New Insect Net. 



^^rtly round the mouth, leaving a space of five 

 inches between the open ends of the hem. Upon 

 the space not hemmed stitch a piece of strong tape, 

 and secure it to the calico at each end. Pass 

 through the hem a piece of cane of such a length 

 that six inches of it may project from 

 each opening. Next procure a rod of 

 bamboo, not more than three feet 

 long, and scarcely exceeding half an 

 inch in diameter. Insert a cross- 

 piece of cane, six inches long, into a 

 hole cut with a small knife (either 

 gimlet or awl would split bamboo), 

 through the rod near its smaller end 

 (as at fig. 23), and with a small 

 quantity of fine brass wire bind it in 

 strongly and neatly, having pre- 

 viously notched both cane and bamboo to prevent 

 the wire slipping. Pig. 24 will show how tiie parts 

 are put together. Both cane and bamboo should be 

 cut flat at a, a, the former very much, and the 

 latter only slightly, on account of its thinness. 

 Use either wire or waxed string for binding. To 



Fig:. 23. 



Perforated 



Handle of ditto, 



natural size. 



Fig. 24. Upper portion of Handle of ditto, illustrating 

 construction. Scale \, 



It may be said that this net is absurdly small ; 

 however, its convenience lies in its smallness, as 

 experience with it will show. It weighs only four 

 and a half ounces, and can be made in an hour, at 

 the cost of not more than a shilling. 



Prank Allen. 



THE SAW-PLY. 



IN the July number of Science-Gossip (1872) I 

 mentioned the fact that it seemed impossible that 

 the egg of the Saw-fly could pass along the saws 

 during its deposition into the slit made by the 

 insect for its reception. Since tlien I have ob- 

 tained several flies, and have watched them de- 

 posit their eggs, but have always [observed that 

 after the slit has been made in the leaf, the saw is 

 withdrawn into its sheath, the body of the insect is 

 curved downwards, and an egg is then deposited. 



Fig. 25. End view of Terminal Segment of Yellow Saw-fly, 

 showing saw in natural position when uot in use. 



