68 SUGARING AXD LIGHT. 



lanes, or stays at home in his own garden, and as the dusk draws 

 on, spreads the tempting mixture in broad patches on posts, and 

 palings, and the trunks of trees ; and, before long, lo ! the sweet 

 aroma has reached the keen sense of the Moth community, who 

 come forth from their secret hiding-places, and flock in troops 

 to the spread-out banquet. But alcohol is alcohol, even to 

 Moths ; and when, after a while, the collector goes his round 

 with his bull's-eye lantern, the lon-vivants who have been lured 

 so easily fo suck his sweets are boxed without resistance. 



The revolution that has been wrought in our collections since 

 this mode of capture came into use, has been extraordinary. 

 Insects which were before accounted rare, are taken in abun- 

 dance ; and new species have been added to our list, which the 

 cunningest collectors before had failed to capture. 



But there is one tribe of Moths, containing some of our largest 

 and most beautiful species, for which the sugared post has no 

 attractions. They practise the most rigid total abstinence, and 

 are never once to be seen amongst the alcoholic revellers. But 

 the collector knows them, and their weak points too. For them 

 he has the open window, and the lamp upon the table. Light 

 now does what sugar failed to do before ; and the collector will 

 sometimes have a levee, in which fresh comers continue to arrive 

 the whole night long. The largest of our native Lepidoptera, the 

 great Death's Head Hawk-Moth (Acherontia atropos'), is some- 

 times taken in this manner, and occasionally pays an unwelcome 

 visit to houses, where his huge form and his ominous squeal spread 

 terror amongst the inmates. In some places the street gas-lamps 

 attract a considerable number of Moths ; and one of Mr. Stain- 

 ton's correspondents has lately been expatiating on the advantages 

 to be gained from " making friends with the lamplighter." 



Another method employed by collectors a method which 

 sometimes does what neither sugar nor light can accomplish 

 shall be given in the words of Mr. Douglas : " In May the Fox- 

 moth careers madly over the fields now close to you, now out 

 of sight ; yet there is ' method in his madness ;' he is fiercely in 

 love, and is in search of his bride, who rests passively expecting 

 his attentions, and good-naturedly or pettishly waiting till her 

 lover's vagaries are over. Observe the spot he most alfects, and 

 by looking carefully, you will probably see his lady-love deep 

 among the heather, or ascending the stems ; then station yourself 



