'66 



rtf Practical 



the stems of trees growing on 1 

 woods, meadows, and in hedger 



right hand pocket, where the full boxes are 

 always placed, to prevent confusion. Moths 

 are never pinned on the spot. 



Within these few years, the inventive 

 genius of our naturalists has pointed out 

 several admirable methods of alluring moths 

 to their certain destruction. In ' British 

 Moths,' Naturalist's Library, page 102., it is 

 shown what a powerful source of attraction 

 a Sinumbra Lamp is, when placed in a room 

 at an open window ; and, again at page 105., 

 it is recommended to provide an empty 

 sugar hogshead, or a bee-hive besmeared 

 outside and inside with the refuse honey, 

 and placed on a forked stake four feet high. 

 A lantern may be carried on a pole by a 

 boy, in a dark wood, and the collector fol- 

 lows to strike at the inquisitive moths ; but, 

 above all, I must recommend the practice 

 of boiling one pound of the coarsest and 

 strongest-smelling brown sugar that can be 

 procured, in some water, until it becomes a 

 syrup, about as thick as molasses : before 

 using it add a teaspoonful of fine old Jamaica 

 rum (this is not indispensable) to a teacup- 

 ful of the mess, and apply it liberally with 

 a small paint-brush in a circle around 

 the skirts of 

 rows, especi- 

 ally such as have a western aspect. Do this 

 about sunset, and retire for some time ; light 

 your lantern, and approach the trees with 

 caution, holding your net close to the stem 

 to receive such moths as may tumble dead 

 drunk from the tree, on your attempting to 

 place a pill-box over them. The most aston- 

 ishing results have followed the adoption of 

 this method all over Great Britain, and I 

 would earnestly commend it to the notice 

 of all who have not tried it. Calm, warm, 

 and dark nights are most favourable for 

 " Mothing," but if the weather has been very 

 hot for some time previous, and if honey- 

 dew abounds, the moths will despise your 

 ambrosial nectar, till the summer's rains 

 have washed off their more natural food. 

 In this, as in every other department of col- 

 lecting, the young naturalist will meet with 

 many disappointments ; but perseverance 

 is always commendable ; and some lucky 

 night will more than compensate for previous 

 disappointments. When a moth is observed 

 reposing on a tree or gate-post, place a pill- 

 box over the insect, and then move the box 

 rapidly from side to side till the insect takes 

 refuge in its interior. 



ON SETTING AND PRESERVING 

 INSECTS. 



COLEOPTERA (Beetles) are never pinned on 

 the spot when taken ; but whether drowned 

 in spirits, or stupified in the collecting bottle, 

 they should always be immersed in hot 

 water to destroy any lingering sparks of 

 vitality : they are then laid on blotting 

 paper to dry, and the larger species are 

 transfixed with a suitable pin through the 

 centre of the right elytra or wing-cover. The 

 pin is best worked into the body with a 

 slight boring motion, or in the instance of 

 certain very hard- cased insects, such as the 

 larger Weevils, the point of the setting- 



needle should be used as a piercer for the 

 more delicate pin, which is made to project 

 below the insect, thus affording space for 

 securing it firmly in the cork, and to prevent 

 the legs of the specimen from touching the 

 paper. The parts of the mouth should be 

 displayed if possible, the antennae well set 

 out with pins, and the legs set out in a natural 

 position to dry. All the smaller species that 

 would be damaged by such treatment, must 

 be gummed, from two to six in company 

 according to size, on pieces of card about 

 two-and-a-half-eighths of an inch in depth, 

 by three-eighths of an inch in breadth ; for 

 two, pierce it with the setting-needle, and 

 transfix it with a pin, leaving it at an equal 

 height above the cork, with the larger spe- 

 cimens ; having given the card a coating of 

 gum, lift the beetle with the camel's hair 

 brush on the setting-stick, hold it between 

 your fingers, and after expanding its limbs 

 and the parts of its mouth, place it bodily 

 on the card, and transfer the whole to the 

 setting-board. No insects should be allowed 

 to remain longer amongst spirits than is ne- 

 cessary, for after a time maceration com- 

 mences at the joints, and the limbs separate 

 from the body ; but where time is precious, 

 dry the insects carefully on blotting paper 

 laid on a setting-board, and deposit them in 

 a pill-box : a hot water bath will fit them 

 for the setting-board at any time. Should 

 a limb break off, it should be immediately 

 restored with a little gum water. 



Grease. When a thick-bodied specimen, 

 like the Ghost Moth, becomes greasy, im- 

 merse it in spirits of turpentine ; and then 

 stick it on a bed of calcined magnesia till 

 dry, when the magnesia may be blown off. 



To kill Mites on Insects. Take equal parts 

 of oil of anise, oil of thyme, and alcohol ; 

 mix, apply a drop to the infected specimen. 



ORTHOPTERA. (Crickets; Cockroaches.) 

 The larger species are pierced through the 

 thorax with a pin, before the anterior margin 

 of the wings; these are extended, and together 

 with the limbs, are retained in a natural 

 position until dry : like all other insects, 

 too small for the pin, the smaller members 

 of this order are gummed on cards of suit- 

 able size : they are killed by being placed 

 over bruised laurel leaves, or dipped into 

 scalding water. These remarks are equally 

 applicable to the order HKAIIPTEKA (Aphides, 

 Water-clearers). 



NECROPTERA. (Dragon-flies; May-flies.) 

 The former are very tenacious of life, and 

 must be killed by being pierced in the breast 

 with a needle, dipped in oxalic acid, a 

 dangerous fluid, which, if it touch any 

 piece of furniture, or the operator's hands, 

 must be neutralized, by being mixed with 

 cold water. When dead, cut up the abdomen 

 with a pair of fine scissors, extract its con- 

 tents, and put in a small roll of blotting 

 p_aper dipped in a solution of corrosive sub- 

 limate. This is the only way to preserve the 

 colours unimpaired : the larger May-flies 

 must be set in the same way, and the wings 

 of both are extended horizontally and con- 

 fined with braces. 



