92 WORK AT HOME AND IN THE FIELD 



less addicted to habits of intemperance that they will hold on to 

 the supply of the sweet fluid they enjoy till they are ready to drop 

 with intoxication. This being the case, some will fall into yonr 

 net as soon as they are startled by the sudden and near approach 

 of the glare of your lamp, and others are easily made to fall therein 

 by gently tapping the flower-bearing stems from below with the 

 edge of the ring. 



Having become acquainted with this very sad propensity, which 

 thus brings ruin to so many unfortunate moths, can we not yet 

 further turn their evil doings to our own profit in our endeavours 

 to become acquainted with their structure and history? Most 

 certainly we can. All we have to do is to distribute in their haunts 

 a bountiful supply of some artificial intoxicant such as they love, 

 and then lie in wait for the victims that fall a prey to our snare. 

 This process is known to entomologists as ' sugaring,' and is a 

 splendid means of securing an abundance of species, often including 

 some rare ones that are scarcely to be obtained by any other plan. 

 Let us now inquire into the modus operandi of this interesting 

 operation. 



The first thing to do is to prepare the luring sweetmeat. Supply 

 yourself with a quantity of strong, dark treacle, and also some dark 

 brown sugar ; always remembering, in the selection of these viands, 

 that odour rather than purity is to be the guide. The best kinds of 

 sugar are those very dark and moist brands imported in a raw state 

 from the West Indies, nothing being better than that known as 

 ' Jamaica Foots.' 



Mix about equal quantities of these with a little stale beer, and 

 boil and stir till all the sugar is dissolved. The consistency of the 

 mixture should be such that it will work well with a brush when 

 used as a paint not too thick, nor so thin that it is easily 

 absorbed by the substance on which it is ' painted,' nor must it be 

 in such a fluid condition that it easily runs. 



When satisfied on these points, transfer the mixture to a tin 

 canister, see it properly covered, and set it aside as your ' stock ' 

 from which you can draw supplies as required. Now secure an 

 ordinary painter's brush of convenient size, and a number of strips 

 of linen or other rag, each one of which is fastened to a hook formed 

 of bent wire. These items, together with the usual lantern, collect- 

 ing box, pill boxes, and killing bottle, complete your outfit for the 

 sugaring expedition. 



When the selected time for operations has arrived, take suf- 



