274 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
always with an end long enough to be whipped over the ring to 
prevent escape of the captured insects. 
Most Orthoptera are caught by 'sweeping' — this consists in 
swinging the net rapidly from side to side through the grass and 
herbage in such a way as to capture the insects as they fall or 
leap. If they are active, upward-leaping or flying species the 
upper edge of the ring should precede; if likely to drop to the 
ground, the lower edge. The long-handled, two-handed net may 
be conveniently used in one hand by carrying the end of the 
handle in the arm-pit. The more alert species can often be cap- 
tured only by 'marking down' — that is, noting the exact spot 
where they alight after flight, approaching carefully, and sweep- 
ing them in by a sudden swing of the net while at rest or when 
they start to fly. 
For killing specimens nothing is so convenient and generally 
satisfactory as a cyanide bottle of six or eight ounces' capacity 
with wide mouth (' horse-radish' pattern) . It is well to have three 
or four available, one for Acridians, one for the more delicate 
Crickets and Locustarians whose antennae are subject to injury, 
and the others to use as duplicates while specimens in the first 
are dying. When specimens are large and very numerous 
larger bottles or jars are desirable, and for tiny Crickets and 
Pygmy-locusts long vials are convenient and large enough. It is 
well in all cases to jam a disk of blotting-paper down upon the 
bottom and to place fragments of the same in the bottle for the 
insects to kick against; the paper absorbs moisture and saliva, 
which Orthoptera often give off in quantity, and therebj'^ lessens 
injury. In the very high temperatures of Arizona and southern 
California, specimens must not remain long exposed to the fumes 
of cyanide, which act upon the colors, reddening the yellow tints. 
Exposure to chloroform sometimes has the same effect on some 
Melanopli and Schistocerca species. 
While the net and the killing-bottle are the indispensable tools 
with which nearly all of the specimens will be secured, traps 
are an important aid in capturing Roaches, Stone-crickets, and 
Earwigs. A very effective roach trap, designed by Professor 
F. L. Washburn (Journ. Econ. Ent., vol. 6, p. 327-329, 1913), 
consists of a wide-mouthed bottle laid on its side, into the mouth 
of which is stuck a paper cone or funnel with an opening large 
