536 ENTOMOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, &C. 



spread on the grass in the open parts of a wood I have 

 known allure several scarce insects: a lady's white dress 

 is equally attractive. An old mattress, laid at night upon 

 a grass-plat, if suddenly reversed in the morning, will 

 supply the Entomologist occasionally with good Cole- 

 optera. No better trap 4br the Silphidce, Dermestidte, 

 &c., than a piece of carrion, a frog, or mole, &c. The 

 numerous insects that inhabit excrement of every kind, 

 especially that of the cow and the horse, may be best 

 taken by immersing their pabulum in water : for this 

 purpose, let a boy carry a spade and pail to the scene of 

 action, and filling the pail nearly full of water begin the 

 operation, and all the insects lurking in the submerged 

 dung will come to the surface, and may be easily taken. 

 Another object of the collector of insects, when he has 

 once entrapped them, is to bring them safe home. The 

 Entomologists on the Continent, I believe, generally 

 transfix their prey, of whatever Order, with a pin, as 

 soon as they are caught : but as hard ones, such as Co- 

 leoptera, Plemiptera, &c., may be destroyed without in- 

 jury by immersion either in spirits of wine or boiling 

 water; and as large beetles, if transfixed (not to mention 

 the unnecessary cruelty of so serving them), are apt to 

 whirl round upon the pin in spite of any precaution, and 

 injure themselves, and destroy other insects that are in 

 their way, it seems best to kill them by other more effec- 

 tual methods. With regard to those that would be 

 injured by immersion in any fluid, as the Lepidoptera, 

 Hymenopterci) Diptera, &c., they must be secured as 

 soon as taken ; and after having disabled them as much 

 as you can without injuring them, by pressing the trunk 

 below the wings with the finger and thumb, they should 



