236 



BE1TISTI MOTHS." 



are covered with delicate powder, 

 which exactly resembles the bloom on a plum. 

 The moths have rather long and slender 

 ;intenna3, always decreasing in size from the 

 base to the tip ; those of the male generally 

 appear slightly stouter than those of the 

 female, from their being downy or pubescent ; 

 and some are as decidedly pectinated as those 

 of the Bombyces. Their trunks, or maxilla, 

 as I have called this organ at p. 205, are long 

 and robust ; when at rest by day, they are 

 tightly coiled up under the head, but when 

 abroad at night, expanded to their full length, 

 and in constant use for sucking the honey of 

 flowers. This honey-sucking propensity makes 

 the Noctuas an easy prey to the entomologist, 

 Avho avails himself of this taste for sweets, not 

 only by searching their favourite flowers, but 

 also by providing artificial sweets exactly to 

 their taste. At night, Noctuas swarm on the 

 blossoms of honeysuckle, jasmine, red vale- 

 rian, and a number of other plants. It is, 

 indeed, a beautiful sight to see the Noctuas 

 revelling on the plant last named ; if you 

 take a bull's-eye lantern, and throw the 

 light full on a party of moths feasting off" 

 these saccharine flowers of the valerian, the 

 *ij;ht is one not soon to be forgotten ; the 

 glare of the lamp is reflected from a hundred 

 pairs of the brightest eyes, and as these change 

 their position in moving from flower to flower, 

 the scene is almost magical. Sallow bloom 

 in the spring and ivy bloom in the autumn, 

 are quite as attractive as valerian in the sum- 

 mer. Still more attractive is sugar, an arti- 

 ficial substitute for flowers. This discovery 

 was first made known in 1he pages of the 

 Entomologist, and has been the means of re- 

 volutionising the science : species previously 

 unknown have been discovered ; and species 

 previously of excessive rarity have becone 

 abundant. I will descnbe the process of 

 sugaring for Noctuas. Buy three or four 

 pounds of the strongest moist sugar, it is 

 usually called " Jamaica foots ; " mix it with 

 hot beer until it becomes of the consistence 

 of treacle ; carry it to the field of-' operations 

 in a small tin can suspended by a strap pass- 

 ing over the shoulder. In a separate phial, 



carry a modicum of rum, and, before usit 

 the mixture already described, add a 

 drops, perhaps a teaspoonful of rum. Selet 

 a tree with tolerably smooth bark, and, wit 

 a painter's brush, lay on the mixture ii 

 narrow stripes ; then paint another tree ; the 

 a third, fourth, fifth, and so on in the sai 

 way. In twenty minutes return to the firs 

 tree, and the Noctuas will be found, wit! 

 sparkling eyes, extended trunks, and gentlj 

 quivering wings, revelling on the banque 

 thus provided. ]S T ow throw the light of tlu 

 bull's-eye lantern full on the revellers, am 

 box those you want in chip pill-boxes, holding 

 the box below the moth, and the lid above, 

 and so proceed until your coat pockets 

 filled with pill-boxes, a rarity in each, 

 have always found a mild, damp, dark night 

 the best for this occupation. The reader Avil 

 please observe that this plan of entomologisinj 

 is often attended with some unpleasantness 

 such, for instance, as the obtrusive visits of 

 gamekeepers, who always require a bribe 

 leave you alone ; and, in Ireland, the attentior 

 of the police, who are excited by a lantern, 

 just as a turkey-cock is by a red rag, 01 

 a bull by a scarlet cloak or coat. Then, 

 if the evening turn out rainy, the herbage 

 becomes loaded with moisture, and boots, 

 stockings, and trousers get saturated with 

 moisture. Juvenile collectors are greatly com- 

 forted in the belief that they possess some 

 nostrum with a long Greek name that will 

 keep out wet ; but this delusion is evaporated 

 by experience, which, after all, is the most 

 satisfactory guide. A writer in the Intelli- 

 gencer says that aniseed has been found re- 

 markably attractive to Noctuas ; and another 

 writer in the same periodical recommends the 

 following method : Instead of brushing the 

 sugar on the bark of the trees, get some 

 pieces of coarse rag, then mix up your bait 

 and steep the rags in it; let them remain 

 in soak until they are well saturated, when 

 they may be pinned up wherever you wish, 

 and, when done with, put away for another 

 night. In Germany, it is a common practice 

 to cut apples in slices and thread them on a 

 string, and, when dried, they are found quite 



