COLLECTING OVA, LARV&, AND PUP& 109 



nearly as much success as time advances. You must remember 

 that entomologists are not the only pupa hunters. Many hungry 

 birds are always on the look-out for insects, and seem to enjoy 

 them equally well in all their stages. Those that hybernate on or 

 under the ground are liable to fall a prey to moles and beetles. In 

 addition to these dangers, all pupae are subject to the effects of 

 extreme cold, dampness, or floods. 



As regards the choice of a day, very little need be said. Any 

 day that is sufficiently genial for yourself will do for your work, 

 except that periods of hard frost render the ground too hard for 

 digging the most profitable part of the pupa hunter's task. 



The apparatus required is extremely simple : A satchel or 

 large pockets full of small metal or chip boxes, a small garden 

 trowel, and a strong chisel. 



If metal boxes are used they should be perforated; in fact, 

 nothing is better than the ordinary larva boxes of the dealers. 

 All the boxes, of whatever kind, should be lined with moss pre- 

 vious to starting work. 



The trowel and chisel do not pack well with a number of small 

 boxes, therefore it is a good plan to fix them in a couple of 

 leather sheaths attached to your belt. In this position they are far 

 more handy for use, and the boxes are also in less danger of being 

 crushed or damaged, as they probably would be if in contact with 

 hard and heavy tools. 



A note book is also a valuable addition to your outfit, as it 

 enables you to make memoranda concerning the trees and locali- 

 ties from which you obtain your pupae. 



The best localities for pupa hunting are clearings in woods, 

 parks with numerous large timber trees, and meadows in which 

 large isolated trees are scattered ; and the best trees include willows, 

 poplars, oaks, beeches, birches, elms, and hawthorns. 



The best thing you can do on arriving at the selected hunting 

 ground is to make at once for isolated trees of large size, and work 

 each one as follows : 



First examine well the crevices of the bark, for many cater- 

 pillars descend the tree to within a short distance of the ground, 

 and then seek out a snug little crevice in which to spend the 

 winter, often protecting themselves with silken cocoons, or con- 

 structing a neat little shelter of gnawed fragments of the wood 

 cemented together. 



If there is any loose bark, very carefully force it out with your 



