120 Kansas Academy of Science. 



obtained in this manner in the most perfect condition by careful 

 mode of capture — one specimen being caught at a time, when the 

 bottle was set aside until the insect became stupefied ; then the speci- 

 men was transferred into a stock bottle. Provided with several 

 bottles, a person could work rapidly for hours into the night, and 

 remain comfortably seated at a table, with equipment and specimens 

 before him. 



Only one other method for night work remains to be treated of 

 here, and that is the common practice known as "sugaring." It 

 depends on the use of a bait alluring by scent and tempting to the 

 taste. As mentioned, not all night insects come to light. The 

 wood moths, belonging to the genus Catocala, for instance, are 

 only rarely caught in an}^ other way than by sugaring. They are 

 found in secluded thickets or thick woods, which are rather lone- 

 some places for night work. Besides for the sake of company, two 

 persons can work together to better advantage than one alone. The 

 bait is commonly made by mixing beer and molasses, or instead of 

 beer vinegar can be used ; and the most effective results are obtained 

 when either or both the beer and molasses are stale and strong-smell- 

 ing. The mixture is smeared by means of a dauber on trunks of 

 trees and stumps, on logs, or even fence-posts, beginning directly 

 after dark, when the course of operations can be selected with the 

 light of an open lantern. But for inspection purposes, after inter- 

 vals of about fifteen minutes, a dark lantern, or light otherwise 

 shielded from the person carrying it, is required. Moths, beetles 

 and other kinds of insects are found feeding greedily on the mix- 

 ture by the collector, who approaches cautiously, with his light 

 thrown on the smeared spots before him. Slowly an open poison 

 bottle is pushed towards a specimen, in case it is a moth, until 

 quite close, when it is quickly clapped over the insect, thus confin- 

 ing it within. Keep the bottle pressed against the tree until, at a 

 favorable moment, the free hand can be thrust over the mouth, and 

 then the cork may be carefully inserted as the fingers slide out of 

 the way. Beetles are generally picked up in the fingers by a quick 

 movement and dropped into poison bottles. In all these matters, 

 practice counts for more than instruction. 



