78 WOEK AT HOME AND IN THE FIELD 



closely restricted to certain isolated localities, to which you must 

 travel if determined to obtain them. 



There yet remains another important matter to consider, and 

 that is the kind of day you shall select for your outing. Butterflies 

 are not only strictly day-fliers, but most of them venture out only 

 on bright days. Always choose as hot a day as possible, with a 

 very bright sun. If you are to be out for a full day's collecting, 

 manage to be on the hunting ground at about ten o'clock in the 

 morning. As a rule there are not many out before this time, and 

 some do not appear to stir till an hour later : still there are a few 

 ' early birds ' among them, one of which- the Wall Butterfly I 

 have seen on the wing before eight. 



If your season, your day, and your locality are all well chosen, 

 you may reckon on a good six hours' work. At about four the 

 butterflies begin to lag, and then drop into their hiding places, one 

 by one, till only a few of the late stragglers remain on the wing. 



So far I have furnished some general instructions that may be 

 regarded as preparatory to the start ; but I will now give a few 

 hints as to the mode of procedure when the day for field work has 

 come. 



First, see that you have secured all your apparatus, and that it 

 is in perfect condition. What is more annoying than to find, after 

 you have travelled some miles to get to your hunting ground, that 

 you have left your screw ferrule at home, or that the soldering of 

 your metal Y is just giving way ? If you are troubled with a short 

 memory, it will be advisable to make out a list of every requisite 

 for your field work, and keep this for reference on all field days. 



Here is a list of your equipment for a day with the butterflies. 

 Net, ferrule or Y, stick, collecting box (the cork of which should be 

 damped if the box is a metal one), a few ' chip boxes ' for live 

 insects, killing apparatus, a good supply of pins of several sizes, a 

 piece of string, needle and cotton, and your penknife. 



You observe in this list one or two items not previously men- 

 tioned, since they hardly come under the category of apparatus, 

 but a moment's thought will convince you of their usefulness, espe- 

 cially in the case of a breakdown. If your net catches in a thorn 

 a very common occurrence and a big rent is made, the needle and 

 cotton will save you a deal of agony, and perhaps loss of temper. 

 If your stick breaks under your exertions, the knife or the string 

 may prove a most valuable companion. Your pins may be stuck 

 in the cork of your collecting box, certainly the most convenient 



