124 



The Ottawa Naturalist. 



[September 



of tin, and has been in use for over eight vears. 

 For the bag- of the net, ordinary green leno is service- 

 able. This should be 



first soaked in water 

 to remove the stiffness. 

 When dry again, it can 

 be cut in shape similar to fig. 3» 

 care being taken to see that it is 

 well rounded at the bottom, so as 

 to leave no corners. A piece of 

 strong wide ribbon should be 

 doubled and both edges sewed to 

 the top, so as to make a passage 

 for the cane to slide through to 

 keep the net in shape. 



Fig. 3- 



Killing Bottle. — Any wide-mouthed bottle of convenient 

 size will answer. The old 2 oz. quinine bottles, which may still be 

 had from inost druggists for a few cents each, do well for general 

 purposes ; the common vaseline bottle is also good. Test tubes 

 can be had cheaply from druggists, and may be used for the 

 smaller butterflies and moths. Cyanide of potassium is the poison 

 used for killing insects. This should be broken into small pieces 

 and put into the bottle. If a vaseline bottle is used, just sufficient 

 should be put in to nearly cover the bottom. On top of this should 

 be poured some liquid plaster of Paris, not more than half an inch. 

 Some collectors put in a layer of sawdust between the cyanide and 

 the plaster of Paris. The bottle should then be left standing for a 

 couple of hours before replacing the cork. The deadly poisonous 

 nature of cyanide of potassium should be kept in mind, and care 

 should be taken in handling it. It is also well to label the bottle 

 Poison. Large moths, such as the Emperors and Sphingids, are 

 killed quickest by oxalic acid diluted in water. If with a sharp pen 

 dipped into this liquid the underside of the thorax between the 

 bases of the legs is pierced, some of the acid will find its way into 



the body and caL^ealraosi instant death. Preparatory to this a tew 



