ENTOMOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, &C. 535 
modes may be adopted. You may either watch the mo- 
tions of an individual insect, and secure it by darting 
the net beyond it and drawing it towards you ; or by 
placing it quietly under it, and then elevating it suddenly; 
or you may push your net at random along the margins 
of the pools and rivers amongst the weeds, &c. ; amongst 
the duck-weed (Lem?ia) on their surface, or the mud at 
the bottom; and when you examine its contents, you 
will often find valuable captures. I have thus sometimes 
got rich booty in the most unlikely places; — such as 
Hydrtena longipalpis, and an allied nondescript species, 
&c. ; and by fishing amongst Zanichellia paliistris, Hce- 
monia Zosterce. If at any time you do not happen to 
have your water-net with you, with a common rake you 
may take the duck-weed from the surface of a pool, and 
upon examination you will often detect amongst it many 
minute water-beetles. 
But besides all these implements you will find your 
finger and thumb a very handy forceps when insects are 
stationary or walking upon the ground ; and even when 
flying, minute ones that you would not otherwise meet 
with may be taken by the palm of your hand, wetted 
with saliva, if, when you see them swarming in the air, 
you pass it to and fro amongst them. When such are 
stationary, or moving on the ground, on rails, the trunks 
of trees, &c, the fore-finger, so wetted, will often best 
secure them : but if they are perched on a summit or a 
vertical surface, before you approach near enough to 
alarm them bring forward quietly your bag-net, and 
hold it so that they may fall into it, if they attempt by 
falling to escape you. Other methods of entrapping in- 
sects may also be pursued witli success. A table-cloth 
