[29] COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS RILEY. 



as deep as the diameter of the hoop. A forceps net, which consists of 

 two gauze or bobbinet covered frames, having- riveted handles, so as to 

 close like a pair of scissors, is employed for small insects; but I find little 

 use for it. A coarse sieve, together with a white towel or sheet, will be 

 found of great service for special occasions, particularly in the spring, 

 when the search for minute insects found under old leaves, or for pupae 

 around the butts of trees, is contemplated. With the sheet spread on 

 the ground, and a few handfiils of leaves and leafy mold sifted over it, 

 many a mimite specimen will be separated from the coarser particles 

 and drop to the sheet, where the eye may readily detect it. Conversely, 

 the earth taken from around trees may be sifted so as to leave in the 

 sieve such larger objects as pupae, etc. Another favorite plan, with 

 some collectors, of obtaining specimens, especially night-flying moths, 

 is by ' sugaring.' This consists of applying to the trunks of trees or 

 to strips of cloth attached to the trees some sweet, attractive, and 

 stupefying preparation. Diluted molasses or dissolved brown sugar, 

 mixed with ruin or beer, is most frequently employed. I have found 

 sugaring of little use till after the blossoming season, and it is 

 almost impossible to so stupefy or intoxicate an insect that it will 

 remain upon the sugared tree till the next morning. I generally 

 sugar at eve, and visit the tree several times between sundown and 

 midnight, armed with wide-mouthed killing-bottles and accompanied 

 by a second person, who .carries a dark-lantern. Isolated trees, on the 

 edges of woods, give the best results. Everybody knows how some 

 poor moths will persist in flitting around a light until they singe their 

 wings ; and, as many insects are strongly attracted to bright artificial 

 light, it may be employed with good results, especially during warm 

 and damp evenings. The collector should never go unprovided with a 

 small box or tube full of different sized pins (a corked cartridge- tube 

 makes a good box,) a pair or two of forceps, a pair of scissors, a little 

 mucilage, and the killing apparatus to be described." 



With these general remarks, it will be well to consider some of the 

 important paraphernalia more in detail. 



COLLECTING APPARATUS. 



The Sweeping Net. A multitude of insects of all orders feed or rest 

 on grasses and other low plants. Upon close inspection of these 

 plants a careful observer will be able to secure, without any instru- 

 ments, not only many mature insects, but also many larvae in connec- 

 tion with their food-plants. This is laborious and slow work, only nec- 

 essary on special occasions. The beating net, which is constructed on 

 the same general plan as the butterfly net, is valuable here as a time 

 saver. By holding the handle of the net firmly in one hand and quickly 

 sweeping over the plants first from right to left, and then, after quickly 

 turning the net again, sweeping from left to right, most insects coining 

 within reach of the sweep will fall into the bag and may be easily taken 



