56 APRIL. 



And now having got to the end of the paling, let us 

 make a short excursion to Birch Wood. Birch Wood 

 lies on the direct Maidstone Road, near the " Bull" 

 Inn, and will be easily found from Dartford Heath ; 

 Dartford Heath lying in the centre between Birch 

 and Darenth ("Darn") Woods, the latter lying to 

 the left. 



It is a magnificent wood, full of fine old noble 

 trees, and having a thickness and diversity of under- 

 wood truly surprising, while the herbaceous plants 

 cover every foot of open ground, and, sheltered among 

 the underwood, afford a fine cover and food for num- 

 berless insects. 



And now we will put the sweeping net into requisi- 

 tion ; and first we will operate upon those birches. 

 Take the net by its handle in your right hand, and 

 gently but briskly sweep it over their twigs ; having 

 operated thus upon several trees, we will examine the 

 contents of the net, and laying it down upon the 

 ground, we commence carefully to turn it partially in- 

 side out, bringing a portion of the rubbish at the 

 bottom to the side : now gently blow it in order to get 

 rid of the dust and dead leaves as much as possible. 

 See ! what is that pretty little purple insect so thickly 

 sprinkled with golden spots? That is the beautiful 

 little Micropteryx Sparmannella, while by its side, 

 trying to make its escape from the debris, is the pretty 

 little Micropteryx unimaculella^ with its delicate pur- 

 ple wings in which is a single white spot, together 

 with Micropteryx purpurella and semipurpurella. 



While (at West Wickham) Micropteryx Salopiella 

 occurs on birch, and may be obtained by sweeping the 



