420 INSECTS AT HOME. 



the last-mentioned species, and is green sprinkled with yellow, 

 and has seven diagonal yellow stripes on each side. The horn is 

 yellow above and orange beneath. This caterpillar is plentiful, 

 and can be beaten out of the boughs of the Lombardy poplar. 



This, by the way, is a simple and very effective plan of 

 securing larvae, not to mention perfect insects. Nothing more 

 is wanted than an umbrella and a long stick. The umbrella is 

 opened, reversed, and held under the boughs. A smart tap 

 with the stick is sure to dislodge the caterpillars, and send 

 them tumbling into the umbrella, whence they can be transferred 

 to the collecting-box. If bough-beating is to be carried out 

 on a large scale, it is as well to have a sheet held under the 

 branches, and then to ascend the tree, and tap every bough 

 that can be reached. In fact, the poplar can scarcely be 

 treated in any other manner. The umbrella, however, is 

 sufficient for ordinary purposes. 



As to the collecting-box which has just been mentioned, I 

 had one which I found extremely useful. It was oval, boldly 

 domed above, and from the middle of the lid projected a tube 

 an inch in height, and three-quarters of an inch in diameter. 

 This was closed with a cork, and through it the caterpillars 

 were introduced into the box. Unless some such plan be 

 adopted, the collector is horribly worried by the caterj)illars. 

 There is no difficulty about the first two or three, but when a 

 dozen or more large caterpillars are in the box, it is no easy 

 matter to put in one without three or four pushing their way 

 out, so as to run the risk of being squeezed to death when the 

 lid is closed. By employing the tube and cork, however, no 

 such risk is run, and the box can be quite filled with cater- 

 pillars without one even attempting to escape. Some collectors 

 suspend the box over their shoulders, but I always kept it in a 

 pocket, merely fastening it by a string to a buttonhole of the 

 coat, so as to guard against its loss by falling out of the 

 pocket. A few small holes should be bored in the lid for the 

 admission of air. As far as regards size, they should not be 

 larger than pin-holes, and, as far as regards number, six or 

 eight are quite enough. 



On lime and elm trees may be found the larva of the Lime 

 Hawk-Moth {Smerinthus tiliw). This is easily known by the 



