18 INSTRUCTIONS IN LEPIDOPTERA. 



come very freely, and even the Sphingidce (i. e. the genus 

 Smerinthus) sometimes make their appearance. To obtain 

 moths by light it is advisable to have one light outside the 

 room in advance of the window, and one inside the room ; the 

 former light bringing the moths within the sphere of attraction 

 of the inner light. Those who try this plan will find that all 

 nights are not equally successful : sometimes the moth will 

 come in perfect smarms, and all sorts of rare species come 

 to the collector, instead of his having to go in search of them ; 

 at other times, though the weather seems favourable, no 

 moths will come, and the collector becomes disheartened 

 and declares that light is " no go." It is no use to try light 

 on a bright moonlight night, but dark and dull nights, with 

 not much wind, are generally the best, yet I have known 

 moths come freely when a strong wind has been blowing. 



There are certain flowers that some moths are particularly 

 fond of, and maybe readily caught in the evening dusk buz- 

 zing at them ; Silene inflata is a general favourite with many 

 species, and the common red valerian, honeysuckle and the 

 lime tree (when in blossom), are also very attractive. 



But besides collecting moths in the perfect state, they may 

 also be collected in the chrysalis or pupa state. Old collectors 

 in the time of Haworth used to obtain pupae by digging for 

 them, but latterly this plan had so rarely succeeded, that it 

 was generally contemned till the Rev. Joseph Greene suc- 

 ceeded in reviving the plan, by the success which attended 

 his energetic assiduity in this mode of collecting. Mr. Greene, 

 who is the only authority to be quoted in respect of digging 

 for pupae, remarks,* that " meadows and parks with scattered 

 timber trees are generally the best localities ; next to meadows 

 and parks come woods, but searching in woods is a tedious 

 and fatiguing affair, and requires some experience : it is in 



* Trans. Ent. Soc. vol. 2, N. S., Proceedings, pp. 110, 111. 



