102 COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF INSECTS. 



wings, and possess but a very slight resemblance to the 

 generality of moths. Another species frequents our gera- 

 niums and jasmines at all times of the year. 



Butterflies are to be met with only in the day-time : they 

 delight in sunshine, and are particularly attracted by flow- 

 ers. Some butterflies, as the purple emperor (p. 85), are 

 fond of flying high in the air, and around the tops of the 

 highest oak trees, seldom coming down within reach of the 

 clap-net. The emperor generally fixes his station on the 

 summit of a lofty oak. Mr. Haworth, in his excellent work 

 entitled ' Lepidoptera Britannica,' observes that the empe- 

 ror invariably fixes his throne on the summit of a lofty oak, 

 from the utmost sprigs of which he performs his aerial ex- 

 cursions ; in these he will sometimes ascend until lost to 

 sight from his extreme height : if he meet with another 

 emperor, the monarch of some neighbouring oak, a battle 

 always ensues ; they fly up and up, fighting by the way, 

 and when exhausted, descend and often settle on the very 

 sprigs whence they rose. The emperor is only to be taken 

 in a bag-net, fixed to a rod twenty or thirty feet in length; 

 unless he should condescend, as is sometimes the case in 

 very dry weather, to come to the ground in order that he 

 may enjoy its moisture. It has been observed of this and 

 other high-flying butterflies, that a stone thrown into the 

 air will induce them to follow it in its descent. In captur- 

 ing most of our butterflies there is little difficulty : they fly 

 slowly and languidly along our hedge-rows, and are very 

 fond of settling on flowers and on the moist or muddy pla- 

 ces in roads or woods ; the clap-net is the only efficient 

 instrument for securing them. Another net, of a complex 

 structure, is sometimes used ; it is composed of a stick 

 or handle, and two parallel pieces of whalebone, which, 

 being pushed outwards, form a hoop, and to this is attach- 

 ed a large muslin bag : when a butterfly is captured, this 



