6 E. B. Williamson 



The collecting net. — The writer has tried only a few kinds of nets. For 

 several years he has used what is known as "Our Own" patent landing net, 

 a steel collapsing ring, which can be obtained from entomological supply 

 companies. The frame used has the two steel sides each about 22 inches 

 long. The bag is made of light bobinet (15 or 16 meshes to the inch) and 

 when flat is about 22 inches long (deep). The edge of the open end con- 

 sists of two narrow sleeves of stout muslin which slip over the steel sides 

 which make the ring of the frame. This landing net is provided with a 

 three jointed bamboo-handle, two joints of which make a handle of suit- 

 able length for insect collecting. This insect net is light, strong, and when 

 not in use, may be conveniently packed or carried. Bags of several kinds, 

 suitable for beating and dredging, for example, can be carried in the field 

 and changes from one bag to another, or the replacing of a ripped bag, can 

 be effected in a moment's time. 



Killing bottles. — Of several ways of making killing bottles the most satis- 

 factory has been to place potassium cyanide crushed to about the size of 

 grains of corn over the bottom of the bottle selected ; this is then covered 

 with about a quarter of an inch of sawdust, over which is poured plaster of 

 Paris mixed with water to the consistency of cream. The whole need not 

 occupy over an inch and a quarter of the bottle, — less if one is fortunate in 

 pouring in the plaster. The most convenient bottle I have found is the ounce 

 morphine bottle. Four such bottles can be conveniently carried in the double 

 side pockets of a coat or blouse. Smaller bottles can be made in the same 

 way of straight glass vials four inches high and seven-eights of an inch in 

 diameter. Such small bottles are valuable for killing pairs of smaller dragon- 

 flies or for particularly small and fragile species. Such vials are also of a 

 convenient size for carrying alcohol or other preservatives in the field. 



It goes without saying that miscellaneous collections of insects should 

 never be dumped in the same killing bottle. The scales of Lepidoptera and 

 the juices of various Orthoptera are especially objectionable, and none of 

 these insects should go into the bottles containing dragonflies, or in which 

 dragonflies will be subsequently placed unless the bottles are thoroughly 

 cleaned in the meantime. 



A killing bottle made as above described will sometimes "sweat." This 

 moisture is ruinous to dragonflies. For this reason bottles should be made 

 several weeks before they are intended for field use and all moisture should 

 be guarded against by airing the bottle in the sun and packing the bottom 

 with scraps of paper or cloth if necessary. 



Specimens should be removed from the killing bottle as soon as they are 

 dead or at frequent intervals. If the bottle is "strong" a short exposure may 

 completely destroy the colors of many species. They must be removed to 

 some convenient and safe receptacle in which to carry them till the day's 

 collecting is over. 



The collecting case. — The box here described has been used satisfactorily 

 for several years in various climates and under varying collecting conditions. 

 The pattern for this leather box is shown in the accompanving diagram 

 (Fig. I). 



