INTRODUCTION. 



of I to 2, flavoured with any kind of fruit. The whole is well mixed and stirred to a thick 



liquid and is spread on the trunks of trees, at the ejiges of woods or in avenues. A few drops 



of apple flavouring or essence of valerian will increase the attractive effect. A mixture of 



coarse sugar and beer boiled down to the proper con- 

 sistency, and flavoured with a few drops of rum, is 



another favourite mixture. At dusk Noctum will be found 



on the trees greedily devouring the bait. When dark, 



the moths must be sought with a bull's-eye lantern and 



caught in chloroform bottles, and when they are sufficiently 



benumbed they may be transferred to the collecting-box. 

 Another attractive bait is dried apples. A number 



of sHces are threaded on a string and left in a dry place 



till required. Before use they are dipped in one of the 



mixtures above described, and the liquid is then allowed 



to dry on them. At dusk a number of strings are taken and 



hung up from branches at some distance from one another. 



Then the collector goes with a lantern in one hand and the 



net or chloroform bottle in the other, and if some moths 



are already on the pieces of apple the lantern should be 



so placed as to illuminate them and the chloroform bottle held under each moth successively, 



when it will generally fall in at once. In this way one string 

 after another is examined. When they have been used several 

 nights they must again be dipped in the mixture and the same 

 slices may be used for a whole year. 



The best time of year for night-collecting is in spring and 

 autumn, especially the months of September and October. Windy 



wsatner is most unfavourable for collecting at night, and close nights, when a storm appears 



to be threatening, are the best. The worst nights of all are when there is a heavy cold dew. 



Fis 



FicT- 6. 



COLLECTING LARV^ AND PUP^. 



Larvae may be sought for on their food -plants, or dislodged by beating trees and 

 bushes, or they may be swept up from grass or herbage with a net. In searching for larvae 

 we may notice where the leaves have been eaten, are rolled up or spun together. The 

 excrement may also indicate the presence of the caterpillars, especially when large, like that 

 of the Death's Head Hawk-moth. This larva may most readily be found by looking for the 

 excrement under potato plants, where the leaves appear to have been eaten. Most species 

 have their special food-plants and mode of life. The larvae of the Swallow-tail are found on 

 various umbelhferous plants, those of the whites on Crucifera, those of Mclitaa gregariously 

 on plantain in autumn, those of Vanessa in clusters on nettle, etc., the blues generally on 

 the pods of papilionaceous plants, and those of the Hespevida between the leaves of their 

 food-plants which have been spun together. The larvae of Sesia and the Cossida feed in the 

 branches and roots of plants. The Psychida construct a case for themselves from pieces 

 of grass and dried leaves, carry it about and assume the pupa-state in it. The larvae of the 

 Sphingida may be detected by observing their excrement on the ground. The Lithosidie live 

 on lichens. 



Among the NodiKS the larva of Plitsia is generally found on the lower surface of 

 the leaves. Many, such as the species of Xanthia, live in the catkins of willow and poplar 

 in spring, whilst others, like Dianthcecia, live in the capsules of pinks, etc. The larvae of 

 Nonagria live in the interior of reeds, and their presence may be recognised by the withering 

 of the leaves and upper part of the food-plant. But by far the greater proportion of Noctua 



