118 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



method possesses over the laiivel-leaves box I am at a loss to 

 conceive. Certainly no time is gained this way. Let me, then, 

 strongly recommend your correspondent to at least try the 

 tin box. I don't quite understand his difficulty, which is thus 

 expressed, " This (the laurel-box) takes too much time, for 

 while you are holding the box a rarity may settle on the 

 opposite tree," &c. Does Mr. Gibson mean that he holds 

 the box over the moth on the tree, and that he keeps it there 

 until the moth is slupified ? If he does, then he may well 

 complain of the plan, which, however, is his, not mine. If he 

 does not mean this, then 1 must remind him that he cannot 

 be in two places at once, " barring (as a countryman of mine 

 once observed) he was a bird." If he is trying to secure a 

 moth on tree A, he must do so before he goes to tree B, even 

 if there were half-a-dozen rarities on it. Assuming that Mr. G. 

 understands the use of the tin box, I would say, let him take 

 three of them well supplied with fresh bruised laurel-leaves. 

 I think they will be sufficient for all practical purposes. They 

 will not take up more room than a lot of pill-boxes. Each 

 box may safely contain three or even four moths. Suppose 

 there is a good moth on tree A, and another on tree B. Box 

 A moth, and put the box in your trousers' pocket ; then pro- 

 ceed to B. I challenge the most expert pill- boxer to do this 

 as quickly by his method as by mine. It is better not to have 

 more than three moths at one time in each box, nor will it be 

 required, except on those rare occasions when insects are so 

 plentiful as to cause an emharras de richesses. When boxes 

 1 and 2 have each three moths, and box 3 o?ie, then proceed 

 to empty the contents of the first two ; pin, and put them in 

 the collecting-box. The moths require no chloroforming; 

 they are already stupified. Perhaps, in reply to these few 

 remarks, somebody will take up the cudgels in behalf of 

 "pill-boxing." If he should do so, will he kindly inform me 

 whether the usual practice is to chloroform the insects after 

 so many boxes are filled (as above), or to bring all the boxes 

 home, and then perform that operation. — Rev. J. Greene ; 

 4, Cary Parade, Torquay, October 14, 1864. 



54. Sex of Larv(B. — I have felt greatly disappointed at 

 not receiving any answer to my question (Entom. 86) re- 

 specting the sex of larvae. Surely this is a question on which 

 some " big man " might bestow a thought ; or perhaps the 



