PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 43 



about one in the morning, the sudden rap of a large moth, such as " Arctia caja," 

 is no joke to the nerves. Moths, attracted by light, are very fond of crawling up 

 and down the panes, and when thus situated may easily be taken in a tin box, such 

 as will hereafter be described. There seems to be little use in trying the light, till 

 about half-past ten that is, during the summer months ; and I may here mention 

 a curious circumstance, which, as far as I am aware, has not hitherto been re- 

 corded ; it is, that there seems to be an interval viz., from about nine to half- 

 past ten during which moths appear to cease flying. From half-past eight to half- 

 past nine they may be seen flying over and about the flowers, shrubs, &c., attractive 

 to them ; but, at the end of that time, they almost entirely disappear. When this 

 has been the case, I have returned home (and this over and over again) and tried 

 the light, but in vain. I have repeatedly sat at the open window for an hour and 

 a half, without seeing a single moth. A little before eleven, when almost in 

 despair, a solitary specimen has appeared. This has then been followed by others 

 in rapid succession, till about half-past one, at which time they begin to fall off 

 again, and disappear entirely just before daybreak. On a sultry summer's evening 

 the ceiling of the Entomologist's room presents a singular spectacle, from the num- 

 bers of insects swarming about it. I say insects, for the collector must be pre- 

 pared for other things besides Lepidoptera, such as spiders, centipedes, earwigs, 

 midges, &c. He will also be much annoyed by bats, which speedily discover that 

 the moths are attracted by the light, and, accordingly, visit you regularly every 

 evening. I have seen a moth, when almost in my clutches, suddenly disappear, 

 while the snap of the jaws informed me that the bat was too quick for me. The bat 

 is a sworn foe to the Entomologist, and the wings scattered about beneath the win- 

 dow testify to his voracious powers. 



I see no way of accounting for this lull in the appearance of insects, except by 

 supposing that the process of digestion is then going on, and that they are then 

 taking their siesta. There is one remark which I must not omit ; on nights when 

 the moon shines, moths go to bed, and the best thing for the Entomologist, on such 

 occasions, is to do the same, as he will not take a single insect. The irregularity 

 in the appearance of insects is remarkable, and difficult to account for. Warm, 

 sultry nights are, undoubtedly, the best, and when there is a little small rain falling 

 at the same time, you may generally expect success ; but this is not, by any means, 

 invariably the case. The only period at which I have always found moths abun- 

 dant, is just previous to a thunder-storm, when the air is much charged with 

 electric fluid. 



For the purpose of catching insects on the wing, a net is requisite. A hoop, 

 fourteen inches in diameter, should be securely fastened to a rod about four feet 

 long, and a green or white gauze attached to the hoop. The bag may be three 

 feet in depth. In fact, the net is almost the same as that employed in landing a 

 fish. When the insect is in the net, the question is, how to get it out, without 

 injuring it. The plan I adopt is as follows : I have one or more tin boxes, of 

 which the subjoined is the best description I can give depth, seven inches, of an 

 oval shape, something like an egg divided lengthways ; breadth, one way, three 

 inches ; the other, two inches. The same proportions are observed throughout 

 the entire depth. At one end is a false bottom, one inch in depth (this is included 

 in the seven inches). This is to hold bruised laurel-leaves ; and to enable the 

 fumes to penetrate into the other portion of the box, is a small tray pierced with 

 ten or twelve holes. At the other extremity is a lid fastened at one end, with an 

 easy hinge. A similar lid is at the extremity of the false bottom, in order that the 

 laurel-leaves may be renewed when necessary. The moth then being in the net, 

 insert the box, with the top lid raised about an inch and a half, and your fore- 

 finger upon it. As soon as you have the insect inside the box (a little practice 

 will enable you to do this with ease), clap down the lid with your fore-finger, and 

 in a few seconds the moth will fall insensible to the bottom. If, upon examina- 

 tion, you find it to be one you do not want, throw it away, and it will soon 

 recover, if not kept too long in the box. Should the insect, however, prove a desi- 

 deratum, you can transfix it at once, and kill it by piercing it, just under the 

 wing, with a quill dipped in a saturated solution of oxalic acid. For this purpose, 

 I carry with me a little bottle with a close-fitting glass-stopper. This method, I 



