66 WORK AT HOME AND IN THE FIELD 



stick, and cut out two grooves opposite each other at the end, just 

 large enough to take the straight ends of the wire. The end of the 

 stick will now resemble fig. 40 in shape. Place the ends in their 

 grooves, and bind them tightly to the stick by a good many turns 

 of rather fine wire. 



A frame well made after this fashion is as strong as anything 

 you could desire, but it has the disadvantage of being always fixed 

 to the handle, thus preventing the use of the latter as a walking 

 stick when you are not directly engaged in your entomological 

 work. 



A much more convenient frame may be made by thrusting the 

 ends of a piece of cane into the two narrow arms of a metal Y. 

 You may purchase the Y at any of the naturalists' stores, or you 

 can make one yourself if you know how to perform the operation of 

 soldering. I have always made mine with odds and ends of brass 

 tubing such as old gas pipes. One piece must be just the size to 

 fix on the stick ; and the other two must fit the cane 

 tightly. The three pieces must be filed off at the 

 proper angles, and the doubly bevelled end of the 

 wider tube must then be flattened down to the 

 width of the smaller ones before soldering. If you 

 decide to buy one, give the preference to strong 

 FIG. 41. brass rather than the cheaper and more fragile ones 

 THE METAL Y. made of tinned iron. 



The advantage of such an arrangement over the 

 last frame is evident at once. The cane, with net attached, can 

 be pulled out of the Y when not in use, and bent small enough to 

 go in the pocket or a satchel ; and the Y can also be separated 

 from the stick, thus allowing the latter to be used as a walking 

 stick. 



Some entomologists speak very favourably of what is known 

 as the ' umbrella net 'a large and light net that will shut up like 

 an umbrella, and may even be made to look very much like this 

 useful protector, but the possession of such an imitation is some- 

 what tantalising in a pelting shower. The ring of this net consists 

 of two steel springs attached to a couple of brass hinges, one of 

 which is fixed near one end of the handle, while the other slides up 

 and down in the gamp fashion. 



One other form of net ' the clap net ' although still occasion- 

 ally seen, has had its best days. Two sticks are provided to this 

 one, so that the two sides of the net may be brought together on 



