THE BEST METHODS OF PRESERVING BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS; 
AND OF 
REARING THEM FROM THE CATERPILLAR OR THE EGG. 
—_+——- 
To capture Butterflies and Moths in their perfect or winged state, it is necessary that the collector be pro- 
vided with a small gauze net, attached to a hoop of strong iron wire at the end of a light cane handle about three 
feet long. Nets of this kind are sold at Messrs. Gardner’s, in Holborn, and Messrs. Shepherd’s, in the Strand ; 
who manufacture articles of this kind of better quality than can possibly be the result of home fabrication. 
Boxes lined with cork for securing the insects when taken, as well as many other entomological conveniences, 
are to be purchased at those establishments, and also at many others of the same kind. 
The collector will soon find out the hour of the day at which the insects he is seeking generally appear on 
the wing ; and it is almost useless to seek them at any other. It is also in vain to attempt collecting insects on 
the wing in a cold easterly wind, especially such as fly early in the morning, or towards the hours of evening. 
gs, and those imme- 
Butterflies, with very few exceptions, will be found more plentiful in the sunny hours preceding, 
diately following the heat of the day ; while for a short period, during the sun’s greatest heat, they disappear for a 
short time. Some fly principally in half shade of woods and deep lanes, while others seek in preference the 
bright open sunlight. Others take their flight high above the tops of the loftiest Oaks, as the Purple Emperor, 
and these must either be secured by means of a small light net at the end of a very long rod, or, some little 
stratagem must be had recourse to in order to effect a capture. I recollect an experienced Lepidopterist telling 
me that he took his two finest specimens of the Purple Emperor in an Oak wood, rather late in the day, after a 
morning of fruitless attempts, by watching the trunks of the trees as a storm was coming on. He had heard 
that these insects, on the approach of a storm, descended from the region of their lofty flight to seek shelter on 
the trunks and beneath the lower branches of large trees; and as the sky darkened, and the thunder began to 
rumble in the distance, he found that his information had been correct, for he perceived two magnificent speci- 
mens descend with a swoop, and settle upon an old gray trunk close to him, where he was so fortunate as to 
capture both. 
As an example of what an earnest collector may expect in an excursion of a few days, even without much 
experience, I append a letter received this season from a young collector, in which it will be seen that, as far as 
Purple Emperors are concerned (from knowing a good locality to go to), he was by far more successful than my 
friend of the thunder-storm ; and his other captures form a very tempting list. 
“T captured on Friday last, in St. Osyth Woods, Essex, a very fine specimen of Vanessu Antiopa ; the 
borders of the wings are a rich eream-colour, the points of the upper wings are slightly marked with blue. I took 
it off a bramble. I also took at the same place a female specimen of the Large Copper (Chrysophanus Dispar). 
In the neighbourhood of this place (Monk’s Eleigh) and Savenham, I have found this summer a greater number 
of varieties than usual; amongst others, Chrysophanus Phileas (female); C. Virgaurce ; Thecla W-album ; 
Melitea Cinwia ; Argynnys Adippe; A. Lathonia; A. Paphia; Grapta C-album ; Vanessa Urtiew ; Cynthia 
Cardui ; Apatura Tris (of which I also took thirty at St. Osyth) ; Limenitis Sibilla ; Arge Galathea ; Lewcophasia 
Sinapis: Papilio Machaon ; Colias Hyale (two taken this morning); and Aporia Crategi. The Vanessa Io is 
extraordinarily numerous this year, as much so as Pieris Brassica.” 
