INTRODUCTION 51 



other phases of butterfly life which could be utilized as the 

 basis for interesting collections. The important thing is 

 to have a definite object in view and to make the collection 

 a basis for a real study of the subject, so that the collector 

 will not only be growing intellectually but will also be 

 making a real contribution to our scientific knowledge. 



Collecting Apparatus 



To collect and preserve butterflies in proper condition 

 for study, certain apparatus is necessary. Perhaps the 

 first essential is the collecting net for catching butterflies 

 in the field. The simplest way to obtain this is to buy 

 it of the dealers in entomological supplies. Nets in con- 

 siderable variety and at various prices are offered in the 

 catalogues of these firms. One can make, however, a net 

 at home with httle difficulty. One need only obtain an 

 iron wire about one fifth of an inch in diameter and bend 

 it into a circular ring a foot or fifteen inches wide, leaving 

 the ends projecting at right angles to the circle and hav- 

 ing a blacksmith weld them together so as to form a spur 

 about four inches long. Now thrust this spur into some 

 convenient handle, such as a broomstick, and sew over the 

 wire circle a bag of mosquito netting, Swiss muslin, or some 

 similar fabric. It is better that this material be green or 

 black rather than white. 



After the butterflies are caught, they must be killed, 

 so some form of killing bottle is necessary. Most collec- 

 tors use a cyanide bottle, in which the fumes of cyanide of 

 potassium kill the insects. One of the best ways to make 

 this is to place in a wide-mouthed bottle two or three 

 lumps of cyanide of potassium, approximately an inch 

 across. Over this place some fine sawdust and on top of 



