306 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



of insects. Micro-lepidopterists will find this mode of collecting 

 very remunerative. 



We may now turn our attention to the collection of autumnal 

 larvae. A good selection of collecting-ground is lialf the cause of 

 success in this work. Of course it depends much upon what is 

 wanted. A pleasant day may be spent upon sand-liills, where 

 there is an abundant growth of bedstraw {Galium veniin), in 

 hunting for larvae of Deilephila galii. It may be none are found, 

 but if the reverse happens its beauty and rarity will compensate 

 the finder for many failures. I have found it twice — once on the 

 sand-hills north of Shoreburyness, in Essex, and once on those at 

 Wallasey, near Liverpool. Although so large an animal it is not 

 by any means easy to find, the protective coloration of the skin 

 being so beautifully complete. Look, not for the larvse at all, but 

 for the little pellets of frass; when once found they should be 

 traced forward by their freshness, until a little track of foot- 

 marks is seen in the sand, which also followed brings us to our 

 capture. A heathy place studded with small birch, oak and other 

 trees, just outside a large wood, is a likely place to take autumnal 

 larvae by beating, which, by the way, need not be the laborious 

 work I have seen some men make of it, to the detriment of the 

 trees and the annoyance of the proprietors. I have said else- 

 where, I think, in these pages, but I venture to repeat, that 

 night-work is much more productive than beating by daylight. 

 Then is it that the larvae are feeding more loosely, and drop into 

 the inverted umbrella at the least tap of the beating- stick. It 

 will be found that two collectors can do this kind of collecting 

 much more successfully than one by himself. One holds the 

 light and boxes the larvae, while the other beats until he is tired, 

 and then turn " turn about." 



Probably some of my friends will, on reading these notes, 

 consider them very elementary, and so they are ; but I make no 

 apology, for there are among our readers some to whom they may 

 be useful. We have always a large leaven of young beginners, 

 who require but a hint to stimulate them to good work, and to 

 them these remarks are addressed. 



Westminster, S.W., July 25, 1887. 



