APHOEISMATA ENTOMOLOGICA. 25 



N. B. — Do not dry recent specimens in this way — Cardinal Mazarin's 

 motto, "I and Time/' should be yours, as it is mine — practically speaking. 



"transparencies." 



I HAVR found by experience that the silver paper over the wings 

 presents one hindrance, namely, that it prevents your seeing through it 

 to ascertain whether on their final adjustment the wings are perfectly 

 even on both sides or not. To remedy this defect, I have adopted the 

 expedient of procuring transparent silver paper, through which you can 

 see sufficiently well for the purpose; it should of course be the thinnest 

 and finest that can be obtained. It is to be had of any bookseller, 

 and is called Tracing paper; you can, if ne'"^'''''^^v-. make it for yourself, 

 by slightly oiling common silver paper. 



"claptrap.' 



As I have before said, the large net which I have already described 

 is by flir the best for all ordinary purposes; others, however, may be 

 used with more or less advantage; and a "Sweeping machine" is necessary 

 for obtaining Water-beetles, and those insects both Coleopterous and 

 other, which are procurable among the long grass on the bank or hedge- 

 side. It may be made as follows: — 



Get a good strong walking-stick, which will be often found useful in 

 more ways than one, and have a small round strong wire rim or hoop 

 made to fit to the end of it with a screw. To the rim attach a pretty 

 strong canvass net, of any convenient size, say two feet in diameter, and 

 a foot and a half in depth. You can procure the whole complete "for 

 a consideration — say" some five shillings. By reversing it every now 

 and then, you get rid of all oddments that you do not want, for "all 

 is not fish that comes to the net." 



To catch the Purple Emperor, and other flies that frequent the tops 

 of the highest trees, you want a small round net with a handle some 

 fifty or sixty feet long. This is a very difficult thing to accomplish, 

 and it is but an unwieldy implement when made in the ordinary way, 

 but I have built a castle in the air in the shape of a very long fishing- 

 rod, made of light bamboo, all the upper part to be kept from bending 



