BUTTERFLIES, SPHINGES, AND MOTHS. 215 



ENTOMOLOGICAL FORCEPS. 



The forceps is a very useful instrument for col- 

 lecting day-flying lepidopterous insects. 



Some of these are formed with octagonal leaves, 

 and others circular or oval ; they ought to be five 

 or six inches in diameter, and covered with muslin 

 or green gauze, or very fine catgut, the meshes of 

 which ought to allow the head of a lace pin to pass 

 through it. The joint of the handle should be 

 placed nearer the rings for the finger and thumb, 

 than to the leaves of the instrument, or it will not 

 open well. The handles may be made of iron, but 

 the hoop should always be of brass, to prevent its 

 rusting, or, if made of iron, it ought to be painted. 

 The objection to the leaves of forceps being round 

 is, that when the insect wished to be seized is 

 perched upon a wall, or other vertical situations, 

 they cannot be applied with such certainty of se- 

 curing the object. 



