146 



HARDWICKE'S SCIEN CE-GO S SIP. 



or " beetle proper." And here I would repeat bow 

 evident it is, that tlie knowledge of " the reason 

 why" is especially indispensable to the beetle-col- 

 lector, judging from the extreme rarity of the occur- 

 rence of any new or valuable insect in the stores of 

 a mere random collector or a beginner. For him, no 

 old hand detects an equivalent to DapUdice or 

 Lathonia in his 'duplicate boxes : whereas, among 

 Lepidopterists, " school-boy's luck " is proverbial. 

 I can give no reason for this statement, founded on 

 my own (by no means trilling) experience in the way 

 of examining specimens. And in this idea I think 

 I am corroborated by the very great rarity in old 

 collections and records of many species now uni- 

 versally common ; the directions in older manuals, 

 as to looking under stones, on walls, paths, &c., 

 pretty clearly showing that the majority of captures 

 in the olden time were what are now irreverently 

 designated as " flukes." Still, it is astonishing to 

 ■what good account a sharp observer may turn these 

 casual meetings, often to him resulting in the dis- 

 covery of "the reason why" as to the particular 

 species accidentally found, and to the correlative 

 increase of his collection. And, apart from any- 

 thing but individual captures, many good (and more 

 bad) things will constantly occur to such a collector. 

 One, for instance, who will startle his friends in the 

 streets, by suddenly swooping with his hat after an 

 atom flying in the sunshine, or who is not too 

 proud to pick up another, racing on the hot pave- 

 ment, during those days of early spring, when the 

 insect myriads, revelling in warmth and light, after 

 their long winter's durance, may be seen madly 

 dashing about, even iu towns : on such a day, for 

 instance, as that whereon a certain well-known 

 doctor among the beetles found that living cara- 

 bideous gem Anchomenus sexpundatus, far from its 

 native Sphagnum and heath, wandering on the flag- 

 stones of the W.C. district. 



But, before referring to special modes of hunting, 

 it may be as well to mention the insirumenta belli 

 required for the equipment of the Colcopterist in 

 this country. These are but few, and of the simplest 

 kind; indeed, in entomology, as in the gentle art of 

 angling, it is often the most roughly accoutred that 

 secures the best basket. The umbrella-net, figured 

 at p. 122, used both for beating into and sweeping^ 

 cannot be dispensed with, and a beating-stick can 

 be cut out of the nearest hedge. The net itself should 

 be of fine "cheese-cloth," or some strong fabric that 

 allows the passage of air, but not of beetles ; other- 

 wise, if of too close a fibre, it is apt to " bag " with 

 the inclosed air, and reject its contents during the 

 operation of sweeping. The net being of course 

 used with the right hand, its left top edge especially 

 bears the brunt of the attendant friction, and gets 

 soon worn ; it is consequently advisable to have an 

 outer strip of stout "leather-cloth" sewn strongly 

 over the riai there for some little distance, extend- 



ing that protection also to the right top edge, though 

 not for so long a space. The curved handle of the 

 stick should be" sawn off as soon as possible ; it 

 frequently catches in the pockets of the sweeper, 

 causing a jerk to the net, and dispersal of its con- 

 tents. Eor a similar reason, the feruled apex may 

 be well removed. Some collectors keep the sharp 

 cutting edge of the spring sides of the net uncovered, 

 sewing the net itself to holes drilled at intervals on 

 the lower side of the springs. It will be found handy 

 if the bag of the net be cut to a point from the front 

 towards the handle side : this causes the contents 

 to gravitate to the bottom, as far as possible from 

 the point where the rim meets the substance swept. 



A common umbrella (easily slung by a stout 

 string over the back when not in use) is an admir- 

 able (some think, superior) substitute for this net, 

 as it can be held up higher by the ferule, and tall 

 bushes and trees (of which the branches nearer the 

 top are usually most productive) can be beaten into 

 it with more certainty of their beetle-contents being 

 caught. The steel frames will be found in the way 

 when the beetles are being bottled; consequently, a 

 good large gingham may be consecrated to collect- 

 ing, and its inside (not the open ribs) covered all 

 over up to the middle (leaving no aperture there if 

 possible) with thin white calico, stitched over the 

 frame. 



Another good form of net for sweeping or 

 dragging in long grass and herbage, is of the 

 common fishing landing-net description, made of 

 very stout wrought-iron or steel wire, either in a 

 simple hoop, if a moderate size only be required, or 

 with a single-stopped hinge to fold into two, or 

 with three such hinges, folding into four, as maybe 

 desired. 1 have used one of these four-folding nets 

 for years, and never found it fail. One end is ham- 

 mered out flat and perforated, the other forming a 

 male screw, bent at right angles with the body of 

 the frame, passes through the hole, and fits into 

 a female screw in a strong and long ferule, fixed iu 

 the usual way to the end of a stout oaken walking- 

 stick. As the power exerted in sweeping with 

 such a net is great, and the action continuous, the 

 simple screw is not enough, and a small screw-hole 

 is drilled right through the ferule and the screw 

 end of the net ; a small thumb-screw, in shape like 

 an old-fashioned clock key, going transversely 

 through both, and effectually hindering lateral 

 displacement. The framework of the net and 

 the ferule are better made of the same metal, 

 because, if made of two metals of different density, 

 the stronger soon wears away the weaker; [and the 

 stick must be inserted deeply into the ferule, and 

 held on with two deep pins or small screws on 

 opposite sides, one being insufficient to stand the 

 strain. The net, of the same substance as that 

 above mentioned, is made with a loose "hem" to 

 slip on the frame b6fore screwing it in the ferule. 



