Introduction 



be "spread " upon a mountin,^- Ixjard in order that the wino-s may be properly set 

 in the desired position. 1'he colors of the moths will fade if exposed to light. 

 1dic butterflies are but little affected even in a stron^i;' li,:.;"ht. It is Ijest to collect 

 the lar\:e or cateri)illars of the moths and l)uttertlies. feed them until they spin co- 

 coons or transform to a chrysalis, then immediately kill and mount the freshly 

 emerged specimen. Unless this is done it is difhcult to obtain ])erfect exam])les of 

 the larger species. \\'hen the cateri)illar is collected care should be taken to ascer- 

 tain the food ])lant, for it will rarely eat anything else. It should be daily sup- 

 plied with a fresh branch, the end of the stem imbedded in a can of damj) sand. 

 A really fascinating way of collecting the smaller, night-tlying moths is to " sugar " 

 the trunks of trees adjacent to a |)atch of timber. The bait is com])i)sed of a 

 mixture of lirown sugar, molasses and vinegar and to this saxory mixture insects 

 are attracted. The solution is painted over a f<nit or so of a number ot tree 

 trunks and the collector makes the rounds with an electric flash lamp. A warm, 

 muggv night when there is no moon is the best time for this kind of collecting. 



With the youthful student these studies may not merely lead to the devel- 

 o])ment of a mere hobby. There are practical results to be derived. The gov- 

 ernments of xarious countries ha\'e formed im])!»rtant entomological (le])artments 

 where economic w^rk is carried on to an elaborate extent aud is i)roducti\e ot 

 far reaching results. It ma\- surprise the reader to know that the b'. S. l)e])art- 

 ment of Agricultiu'e has made a stud}' of the annual losses to the Cduntry by de- 

 structive insects among such products as cereals, fruits, cotton, farm-forests and 

 the like and has estimated that this reaches the astounding figures of over four 

 hundred millions of ddllars. With these conditions existing it will be realized that 

 certain i)hases of insect life tlemand \ ery serious study on the ])art of the agri- 

 culturist. 



Manv valuable observations of insects may be made with the camera both in 

 the field and at home. A really enjoyable pastime is the preparation of greatly 

 enlarged images which will result in the collection of a series of photogra])hs of 

 quite eccentric monsters that ri\al the restorations of ])rehistoric creatures. The 

 camera for both out- and iu-donr work should be nf the "long-draw" ty])e and 

 sup])lied with a (|uite rigid trijxid in order tn luake lung exposures. .Many ni 

 the caterpillars, when disturbed, will remain (juite mutiouless and jjcrmit an ex- 

 posure of several seconds. This permit> the use of a color screen or ra_\' lilter that 

 greatly aids in the ])ortra\al of ])attern. An e\ent to be awaited with much in- 

 terest is the emergence of a motli from the cocoon, or the breaking n\ a buttertly 

 from its chrxsalis. It m;i\ be shown in \arious stages as the wings are slowly 

 unfurled. 



There are inuumerabk' po>>i])ilities in the photographing ot insects as well as 

 the general studv of them. To start u];on these as the writer ha-- pre\ioiisl\- re- 

 marked, the ins])iration from a good book is a most able guide. Mr. Ste]) has 

 opened the wa\- for a clear insight among a legion of mar\els and many oi these 

 are to be fotuid close about us. if we but stop to look. 



IvANMOXI) L. L)ITM.\RS. 



The Xew ^'ork Zoological Park. 



