DIRECTIONS FOR COLLECTING AND REARING THE CATERPILLARS, AND 

 PRESERVING THE PERFECT INSECT. 



Having in the preceding pages given a portrait and description of every species of Butterfly indigenous to 

 Britain, or reputed Britisli ; and also the larva and pupa of eacli, as far as they are known ; it only remains, in 

 conformity vpith a promise in my preface, to add a few suggestions as to the best mode of collecting, and also of 

 rearing, caterpillars from the egg ; and the most approved manner of setting out and prcservin"' the i)crfect insects. 



To become a fortunate collector, requires not only much industry in the pursuit, but also a keen observation and 

 study of natural phenomena in general. Fur instance, many persons, with all the necessary enthusiasm and 

 industry, and perhaps a great sacrifice of time, take numerous collecting excursions with scarcely any success ; 

 whilst others, with less eagerness and much less expenditure of time, seldom return without numerous captures. 

 The cause lies in a proper selection of season and weather for the objects in pursuit. 



It is almost useless to attempt collecting winged insects during a cold cast or north-east wind ; and places at 

 other times abounding in insect-life will then be still, and to all appearance deserted. A warm and geui.al day 

 is therefore, above all things, necessary, and to secure this desideratum it is necessary to become as far as jiossible 

 weatlier-icise. 3Ir. Ingpen, in his excellent little work upon collecting insects, mentions many circumstances which 

 different writers have considered infallible si^jng of fair weather ; hut he considers most of tlieni doubtful — 

 such as the opening of the pimpernel, the early flight of the cabbage-white butterfly, kc. &c. ; whilst he consi- 

 ders the hiijli, flight of swallows an almost certain forerunner of a fine day. Sir II. Davy, in his delightful 

 " Days of Fly-fishing," has philosophically accounted for this and many other natural phenomena which have 

 become popular omens. " Swallows (he says) follow the flics and gnats, and flies and gnats usually delight in 

 Avarm strata of air; and as warm air is lighter and usually moistcr than cold air, when the warm strata of air 

 arc high, there is less chance of moisture being thrown down from them by the mixture with cold air; but when 

 the warm and moist air is near the surface of the earth, it is almost certain, as the cold air flows down into it, a 

 deposition of water will take place." As these instructions are intended for beginners, and not for the accom- 

 plished entomologist, I may usefully add a few more such remarks from the same source. " It is always unlucky 

 (for anglers in spring) to see a single magpie,— hut tin are a good omen ; and the reason is, that in cold an.l 

 stormy weather one magpie always remains sitting upon the eggs or young ones, to keep them warm ; when the 

 two go out together, the weather is warm and settled." Another popular sign of fine weather, is, when the red 

 clouds of the setting sun take a tint of purple ; upon which the same author rc.narks, that "the air when dry 

 refracts more red, or heat-making rays ; and as dry air is not perfectly transparent, they are again reflected on the 



