PRESERVE LEPII)()PTKF{f)US INSPXTS. 37 



white net forms a very conspicuous object against tIk^ usually 

 oreen background of the collecting area and will scare most 

 insects before the collector has an opportunity of reacliing 

 them with it. The net should not, however, be too dark in 

 colour, as it is then difficult to see the captured insect in 

 it. The same may be said of the collector's dress, a 

 greenish colour will be found most useful. For very small 

 moths, and even for those of medium size, a smaller net, 

 about 10 inches across, made of green chiffon and fixed to a 

 handle of a little over two feet, is to be preferred. With 

 such a small net even the most delicately scaled moth of the 

 smallest size can be caught and, what is more, transferred to 

 the killing-bottle without any damage, whereas in the bigger 

 net it would be hopelessly lost. 



The Killing-Bottle. — The next important item is the killing- 

 bottle ; and, as few know how to prepare a "good"'^ one, I 

 will tell how to go about it. As a bottle^ a " Mason '' fruit 

 jar with a three-inch mouth is about the best, provided it is 

 furnished with a large and close-fitting cork in place of the 

 screw-cap. The latter is far too cumbersome to work with. 

 Having made your choice of a bottle and cleaned it thoroughly, 

 place three or four lumps of Potassium or Sodium Cyanide 

 in the bottom, fill in the spaces with dry sawdust until the 

 poison is covered, and then place on top of this a neatly 

 fitting piece of thick blotting-paper. This accomplished, 

 pour over the blotting-paper some freshly prepared plaster 

 of Paris paste to form a layer one quarter of an inch in 

 thickness, taking every care that the plaster flows evenly and 

 comes in contact with the sides of the bottle all round. 

 Leave the bottle open for about six hours so that the plaster 

 may drv- If, after this period, it is found to be too wet — 

 which may be the case if the plaster was made too thin — use 

 in abundance small pieces of blotting-paper to absorb the 

 excess of moisture. Subsequently burn the scraps of paper 

 so used as they are very poisonous. Unfortunately, whilst 

 cyanide is the only poison that is suitable in our climate for 

 killiuo-bottles, it is one of the most deadlv to animal life 

 generally. With proper care^ however, there is no danger 



