42 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



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most useful auxiliary in getting across country, and 

 thus this net becomes really no incumbrance to the 

 tourist, who may have other matters in hand besides 

 butterfly hunting perhaps sketching and botanizing 

 when the larger clap-net becomes quite embarrassing. 



Another form of this net has the ring made of metal, 

 and. jointed in several places, so as to fold within a small 

 pocketable compass, and arranged to screw into a brass 

 socket on the top of the stick. This is a very com- 

 mendable net not so easily home-made as the last, 

 certainly, but it can be readily procured complete from 

 the London dealers (or " naturalists/' as they style 

 themselves). 



A net that has been a good deal used of late opens 

 and shuts on the umbrella principle, and with the same 

 celerity, forming a ring-net when open when shut 

 going into a case like that of an umbrella. 



Some entomologists, nervously sensitive to public 

 opinion, are, however, somewhat shy of sporting these 

 umbrella nets, for should rain perchance come down 

 while he is on the road, the villagers may be astonished 

 at the insane spectacle of a man scuttling along through 

 the torrent and getting drenched through, while he car- 

 ries a good-looking umbrella carefully under his arm for 

 fear it should get wet ; and if, on the other hand, the 

 weather be fine, the carrying such a protective would 

 seem an equally eccentric whim. But only the very thin- 

 skinned would be driven from the use of a good weapon 

 by such a harmless contingency as I have here supposed. 



