12 NEW ZEALAND ENTOMOLOGY. 



When the entomologist reaches his hunting-ground, he 

 will mount his net and place a number of the boxes in 

 his left-hand coat pocket. The foliage of all trees and 

 shrubs should be vigorously beaten and the insects cap- 

 tured as they fly out. When a moth is taken, the collector 

 will first turn the net half way round so as to close the 

 entrance, and then, directly the insect ceases fluttering, he 

 should carefully place one of the little boxes over it and 

 slip on the lid. The box is then transferred to the right- 

 hand pocket. He will soon learn to do this without in any 

 way damaging the insect. On arrival at home, the insects 

 should be immediately killed in the laurel bottle. This is 

 an ordinary wide-necked bottle with a small bag of well- 

 bruised young laurel shoots at the bottom, covered with a 

 circular piece of card fitting accurately to the sides of the 

 bottle. Laurel shoots can always be obtained about the 

 middle of October, when several killing bottles can be pre- 

 pared. They must always be wiped out before using, and 

 kept carefully corked. After a few hours the insects 

 should be tilted out of the bottle on to a tablecloth, and 

 pinned exactly through the centre of the thorax. The 

 rough surface of the tablecloth prevents them from slip- 

 ping during the operation. About one-third of an inch of 

 pin should project below the body of the insect. If a moth 

 or butterfly dies with its wings folded upwards over the 

 back, it must be carefully picked up between the thumb 

 and index finger of the left hand, and the pin inserted with 

 the corresponding fingers of the right hand. When all are 

 pinned they should be transferred to a tin box, lined with 

 cork, which has been previously well damped with water. 

 While pinning them into this box great care must be taken 

 not to allow the wings to come in contact with the damp 

 cork. In about twenty-four hours the specimens thus treated 

 will be ready for setting. This process is performed by 

 means of corked boards of various widths for different sized 



