The Scottish Naturalist. 2 9 



4th. October— A. F. Paton, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair.— Dr. Dun- 

 canson read a paper upon " Some points of similarity between children and 

 savages." 



1st November.— The Rev. A. S. MATHESON, President, in the Chair.— Dr. 

 Brotherston read a paper entitled " Our Holiday in the Harris," and exhibited 

 specimens of birds obtained during his excursion to the Western Isles. 



SUGARING'-HOW, WHERE, AND WHEN TO DO IT. 



BY F. BUCHANAN WHITE. M.D. 



Firstly, — How to Sugar. — Some thirty or fort> years ago, collectors 

 observing that some kinds of moths resorted to various wild berries, such as 

 those of the yew and service tree, for the purpose of feeding on the juice, be- 

 thought them that sugar might possess some similar attractive power, and tried 

 the effect of placing an empty sugar barrel in the woods. The sugar barrel 

 having been found successful in attracting insects, but at the same time, rather 

 too bulky to form part of the usual equipment of a collector, some one li to fame 

 unknown" (at least I have never seen any record of the discovererf of "sugar"), 

 invented a composition which would have all the attractive qualities of the 

 sugar barrel, but at the same time be more portable. 



This composition is known to lepidopterologists by the name of "sugar," and 

 many receipts exist for the manufacture thereof. With these I need not trouble 

 you further than to mention that into their composition enter,- -sugar, " foots," 

 honey, ale, rum, whisky, water, essential oil of bitter almonds, ratafia, aniseed, 

 spruce beer, birch wine, essence of jargonelle pears or of ginger grass ; and that, 

 as substitutes for ; ' sugar," rotten apples, dead cats, and putrid soapsuds, have 

 been recommended. 



One of the most highly commended receipts X f° r making sugar runs thus : — 



Boil up equal weights of foots, sugar, and treacle, in a sufficient quantity of 

 stale beer to bring the mixture to the requisite consistency ; udd a small 

 quantity of rum immediately before use. 



I find, however, a more simply compounded sugar very efficacious. 



To some coarse treacle add a very little whisky, four or five drops of essential 

 oil of bitter almonds, mix well, and, //'necessary, dilute with a little water. 



Having made your sugar, the next thing to be considered is how to convey it 

 to the sugaring ground. This is a matter of no great importance, the chief 



*An abstract of a paper communicated to the Perthshire Society of Natural Science, 

 7th October, 1870. 



t Since writing the above I have seen it stated that Mr. Doubleday was the inventor 

 of "sugar." 



t Those who are acquainted with Dr. Knaggs' excellent " Lepidopterist's Guide," 

 will perceive the use that I have made of his advice on sugaring. I can corroborate 

 from my own experience most of bis statements. 



