430 



PRESERVATION OF INSECTS. 



species devouring another, — an incident not nncoiumon 

 among the caterpillars of moths, as we have recorded in a 

 former page. The collector's larvse-box is an oblong chip 

 box, such as is used for wafers, with a gauze lid for air, and 

 a hole at one end, furnished with a stopper, for introducing 

 the larv£e. 



For water-insects a net, similar to a fisher s landing-net, 

 is employed, fixing it to a long pole, and raking with it 



throuerh 



every piece 



of water within reach. The net 



Watei-Uft. 



which we have had constructed consists of an interior 

 lining of gauze, as strong as it can' be procured, with a 

 strong fish-net on the outside to strengthen this. When 

 canvas is used, the water does not escape through it with 

 sufficient facility. Many interesting water-insects, how- 

 ever, may be procured by mere inspection of water-plants, 

 particularly the under-sides of their leaves, at the edges of 

 ditches, ponds, canals, rivers, and lakes, and when the 

 water is clear, by examining the bottom of the channel. In 

 consequence of aquatic insects, for the most part, preying 

 upon one another, they are usually verj^ nimble in their 

 movements, so that it requires considerable dexterity and 

 quickness to entrap them. For the same reason a number 

 .of phials, containing water, will be as requisite to carry 

 them as pill-boxes to carr}^ the land-insects. But when 

 they are kept in wine or ale-glasses, and supplied with 



