6 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 39 



The bag may be attached to the handle in two ways. The 

 band may be folded over the ring and sewed down so that the 

 attachment is permanent; or it may be made into a loop and 

 slipped on the ring before the latter is fastened to the handle. 

 In the latter case the bag must be open along one seam just below 

 the handle a sufficient distance to allow the band to slip on and 

 around the ring; this vent may be closed with a string lacing 

 after the loop is on the ring and the whole fastened to the handle. 

 A combination of this arrangement with a ferrule binding the 

 ring to the handle is most convenient, for it allows the bag to be 

 removed at will and a lighter or heavier one substituted accord- 

 ing to the needs of the collector. 



The first two nets mentioned below will be found to cover all 

 the demands of the average collector. 



General Purpose Net. — Ring, heavy wire, 12 inches in diame- 

 ter ; bag, strong unbleached muslin or light duck, 20 to 24 inches 

 long; handle, hardwood stick 24 to 30 inches long. 



Butterfly Net. — As above but with a longer handle and a 

 bag of good quality marquisette or fine netting. 



Combination Net. — A net that includes the features and uses 

 of the two nets described above and is a better collecting instru- 

 ment may be conveniently made instead, although at slightly 

 higher cost because of the better materials. Its ring, of 7^ gauge 

 (three-eighths inch) piano wire, is 15 inches in diameter and 

 allows a greater area to be covered with each sweep. The bag, 

 of finest bolter's silk or best quality marquisette, is 24 inches 

 long and serves equally well for the capture of delicate insects 

 and for beating. The handle, of straight-grained hickory or ash, 

 is 40 inches long and permits the collector to cover greater areas 

 in sweeping. If a cheaper net is desired, one of unbleached muslin 

 will be satisfactory for general use. 



Care and Use. — All nets are easily ripped and for this reason 

 should be kept away from barbed wire and thorny trees such as 

 locust and red haw. Also, they should be kept dry. Moisture rots 

 the fabric, making it more easily torn. Almost all insects caught 

 in the net while it is wet are unfit for collection. 



Flowers, herbs, and boughs should be swept with a sidewise 

 motion. This will collect more insects than an upward or down- 

 ward sweep and at the same time mutilate the plant less. If care 

 is taken not to damage flowers or foliage, the same patch of plants 

 may be visited several times with profit. The contents of the bag 

 should be removed after every few strokes or sweeps. This prac- 



