COLLECTING. Ill 



the extent of its range over other countries, arise difficulties 

 which overwhelm us in our attempts to arrive at anything 

 like a correct view of the geography of insects ; and which, 

 joined to our limited knowledge of extra-European species, 

 forbid cur speaking with confidence on any part of this 

 subject. It has been well and truly observed with regard 

 to plants, by an illustrious traveller [the Baron Humboldt], 

 that it is impossible to enter fully into their geography, 

 unless we are thoroughly acquainted with the distinctions, 

 the characters and the names of each species. 'Ne tamen 

 obliviscare, quemadmodum Physiologia animalium sine 

 Anatome esse non potest, neque Geologia sine Oryctogno- 

 sia, eodem modo te Geographiam Plantarum penitus inspi- 

 cere non posse, nisi Botanicae innitens, singularum specie- 

 rum notas, characteres, nomina accuratissime dignoscas. " 



Much has been written by entomologists on the subject 

 of weather, but unless we are to imagine the collector 

 totally devoid of sense, we shall scarcely suppose he will 

 choose wet or windy days for the pursuit of insects on the 

 wing. He will find it of much more importance to take a 

 hint or two as to the time of day : early in the morning 

 insects will be found in abundance on the foliage of trees, 

 and they are then generally in a heavy or drowsy state, 

 which allows of their being readily beaten into the clap- 

 net : if the weather prove warm after 9 o'clock they will 

 be actively running or flying, or perhaps settled on flowers; 

 in either case the difficulty of capturing them is increased. 

 Butterflies are on the wing from sunrise to noon, and from 

 2 o'clock till sunset; then they become drowsy and fly 

 more languidly, settling repeatedly, and apparently seek- 

 ing roosting-places for the night. 



As to seasons for insects, little can be done in the way 

 of laying down general rules. In Britain butterflies are 

 abundant in May, August, and September; moths in 



