APHORISMATA ENTO:\rOLOGICA. 17 



greater or lesser length, on the so-difScult-to-be-decklcd (.[uestion, what 

 is the amount of feeling that insects possess? Into these I shall not 

 now enter, but shall content mj-self with enunciating the maxim which 

 I promulgcd in the '^Zoologist," page 1680, namely, "With regard to 

 the feeling of insects, as much has been said, and much may be said, 

 on butli sides, I would only beg to add that I think there can be no 

 doubt that, whatever opinion any may form or may have formed on 

 the subject, it will be the best and safest way for all to act on the 

 supposition that they have some, if not a very high degree of feeling, 

 and accordingly to make it an unfailing rule to kill them as instantaneously 

 as possible." To this I still adhere, as will, I hope, all my "gentle" 

 readers likewise; and I have it in my power to make known a simple 

 and efficacious mode of killing lepidopterous — and I doubt not any 

 other insects — if not instantaneously, yet almost so, and certainly, at 

 all events, without any sensation of pain whatever. It is not indeed 

 my own discovery — ^nec mens hie sermo est,' but that of a gentleman, 

 Charles Barron, Esq., who has published the first account of the method 

 that I am aware of, in the "Zoologist," page 3435, dating from the 

 Iioyal Naval Hospital, Haslar, March the 3rd., 1852. His plan, however, 

 is rather a complicated one, and the following improvement upon it 

 will be found well worthy of your especial attention. The agent to be 

 employed is the well known — though only recently in this application 

 of it — Chloroform ! 



Go to a druggist's, and purchase a strong, wide-mouthed, moderate- 

 sized glass bottle, namely, large enough to hold a large moth or 

 butterfly. It should be of one width all the way up, for the reason 

 to be presently mentioned, and should have a glass stopper, so as to 

 make it air-tight, or as nearly so as possible. Fill the bottom of this 

 bottle with sponge, and over the sponge place a piece of perforated 

 zinc, which you will now see you could not do unless the bottle was 

 of a uniform width. The use of the zinc is to keep the wings of the 

 insect from touching the sponge, for it will soon absorb the liquid 

 residuum of the drug, and so might and would wet and injure the wings. 

 When you are going out collecting, or if at home you want to kill 

 any insects that you may have reared or otherwise obtained, pour a 

 few drops of chloroform into the bottle, which will make its way 

 to the sponge through the perforated zinc, and immediately "put the 

 stopper upon it." Take it off when you want to put an insect into the 

 bottle, and then, putting it on again, in a few seconds at the most 



