PERONEA CRISTANA. 249 



it is resting there is no preliminary hesitation, and it will at once 

 make for tbe nearest cover. When this iiappens the time avail- 

 able for capture will be reduced by at least one-half. In any 

 case the flight is weak and slow, and the only difficulty in making 

 a capture is that, if this is not effected in the first yard or so, the 

 nature of the ground makes it probsible that some thorny branch 

 will impede the stroke or render it impossible. The amount 

 of elbow grease that it is necessary and advisable to exert in 

 order to flush the moth depends largely upon the meteorological 

 conditions ; if they are very favourable a slight tap is all that is 

 necessary; if not, then the amount of thrashing the bushes 

 receive can hardly be too severe. 



A short-handled net is necessary to effect a capture — I use a 

 medium Bize kite net without a stick — for the space available will 

 often be only one or two cubical yards. One must have a good 

 eye, too, for the light is dim, and a quick arm, for the available 

 time is very short. 



When once the quarry reaches cover it will be seen slowly 

 drifting away into invisibility, or it wall provokiugly pitch on 

 a twig a yard or two away, just out of reach, and amongst such 

 a tangle of thorns and branches as will make its capture utterly 

 impossible. 



The interest and charm of cristana-hnniing consists largely 

 in the state of expectation in which those who pursue it are kept 

 ■continuously. One never knows but that the next whack will 

 dislodge some rare and beautiful form that has been the ideal 

 of one's quest for years, and each moth dislodged is regarded 

 as that particular form until actual inspection has proved that 

 it is not. On each occasion, when a specimen is missed, the 

 would-be captor's feelings can be imagined. 



Occasionally cristana will vary her tactics, and after a short 

 flight she will settle quietly, either on the ground, or more 

 probably on some twig a few inches above it. If this happens, 

 the resting place chosen will usually be well adapted for invisi- 

 bility — the moth is well built for this purpose — and you must glue 

 your eyes upon it until they can be brought to the best focus for 

 actually seeing her, for if again dinturbed she will almost certainly 

 drop, and then you may say good bye. 



So well is the moth adapted to her environment that in the 

 great majority of instances it will be found impossible to locate it 

 whilst settled. Of course a certain proportion of specimens dis- 

 lodged will not come out in the open at all; these are usually 

 not seen, and in any case are lost. It is a good plan to give an 

 upward stroke with the beating stick w^henever possible, as this 

 has a tendency to force the moths upwards and towards you; 

 whilst a downward stroke will often drive them into the thickets 

 and also to the ground. 



