106 JUNE. 



come to sugar, but flit about in the twilight. As soon 

 as the sun has descended below the horizon, and the 

 fields and woods begin to be enveloped in shadow, we 

 may see a number of moths carefully threading their 

 way among the bushes, hovering over the weedy banks, 

 or gamboling in the dusky twilight about the tops of 

 the low underwood, or among the lowermost branches 

 of the trees; upon examination these will be found 

 principally to consist of Geometrce, Pyrales and Tor- 

 trices. Being armed with a net, we have only to 

 capture them this may easily be done, as they are 

 wholly intent upon feeding upon the flowers or enjoy- 

 ing their twilight gambols pinning them and trans- 

 ferring them to your damp collecting-box, or, in the 

 case of small Geometrce and Tortrices, enclosing them 

 in pill boxes for future disposal. This process of ob- 

 taining insects is very productive, and is technically 

 known by the appellation " mothing." It can also be 

 practised at a time of the day which can hardly be 

 appropriated to anything else in the way of collecting, 

 as it is too early in the evening for sugar and too late 

 for beating ; so that while awaiting the " sugaring " 

 time, the intervening period may be profitably em- 

 ployed in " mothing." 



But while we have been talking, twilight has been 

 gathering, and our little pets are flitting and bobbing 

 about in all directions. What is that delicate and 

 pretty insect, like a small Ennomos, hovering about 

 that privet at the edge of the wood ? That is Perical- 

 lia Syringaria, the lilac beauty; but see, there are 

 some more " beauties" flying by : dart over and among 

 that underwood; capture one or two; they are Ange- 



