278 ON COMMENCINa A COLLECTION OP LEPIDOPTERA. 



But before I conclude I must say a few words on the subject of hilling 

 moths. The old plan of red-hot needles, boiling water, steam, etc., gives 

 an idea of much cruelty, but since the introduction of chloroform these 

 practices must be dispensed with; it is sure in its effect, and appears to 

 be momentary. The common practice is to have, as I before said, a wide- 

 necked bottle, with a hollow glass stopper, (glass is necessary, as chloroform 

 evaporates quickly through cork,) plug up the stopper with a piece of sponge, 

 a drop of chloroform on this will with care last several days; but I have 

 often thought that a bottle with a false bottom, or in fact a stopper at 

 each end would answer well. The one in which the chloroform is placed 

 would then never have to be taken out of the bottle when a fly was put 

 into it, and would therefore be less exposed to the air. If, too, the neck 

 of the bottle was made at a small angle to the body, the flies would more 

 readily fall into it. 



Having thus said my say with reference chiefly to the day-flying species, 

 and those that may be taken early in the evening, I would now mention 

 that the most effective plan to take many of the rarer thick-bodied flies, 

 and those that feed later at night, is to anoint some trees with a mixture 

 of sugar, beer, and rum, (vide "The Naturalist," No. lix. page 23;) no 

 net is here required. Place your mixture on the trees at sunset, and with 

 a lantern visit it every quarter of an hour or so. When you find a 

 specimen at the sugar worth capturing, place your chloroform bottle over it, 

 and from the effect of the spirit remaining in it, it will immediately drop 

 into it; cork him up and proceed to another tree. Now there is only one 

 fault that I find with chloroform, that is, that the fly killed with it 

 becomes perfectly rigid, and is often most difficult to set properly, the wings 

 refusing to spread out.* In this case I find the only way is to stick a 

 very small pin through each wing. This certainly makes a hole, but if 

 cleverly managed is quite imperceptible. When chloroform, too, is first 

 put into a bottle, and is very powerful, it is apt to wet the flies, and 

 cause them to appear as if totally destroyed, but a moment's exposure to 

 the air, and they become completely restored.f By-the-by, some species 

 inhabit only the tops of the highest trees, the Purple Emperor, (Apatura 

 Iris,) for instance, and some of the Hairstreaks. To capture these a loop- 

 net, made of gauze, and fixed to a long pole or bamboo is used; when 

 the fly settles it is easily swept of by and into the net. 



Now should your cabinet become stained, full of pin-holes, etc., and 

 require cleaning, use a wash of common precipitate of chalk dissolved in 

 water with a little gum; this is done easier, and is preferable to fresh 



* This may be overcome by a careful hand in the setting. — F. 0. Morris. 

 t Loose small pieces of blotting paper kept in the bottle will rectify this. — F. 0. Morris. 



