Photographing Insects 191 



raphy, and those photographs are of interest only 

 to the scientist who is studying the lower forms 

 of animal and insect life. I shall confine myself, 

 therefore, solely to the methods used in photo- 

 graphing those insects which we commonly know 

 and see. 



One need not suppose that this is a limited field 

 of action. There is a plentiful amount of work 

 for the most ambitious photographer, and he will 

 never be at a loss to know what to do next, even 

 though he should confine himself entirely to the 

 moths and butterflies. 



Hunting butterflies is by no means a novel 

 sport, and the gunner who has followed larger 

 game with shot-gun or rifle need not imagine that 

 there is no excitement in the chase. To be sure, 

 the quarry sought is small and can offer no resist- 

 ance to its capture but flight; but to follow a 

 coveted specimen through brambles and thickets, 

 across fields and meadows, until it descends to 

 earth and alights upon some flower or leaf; to 

 creep stealthily forward until within striking dis- 

 tance, perhaps only to see it, by a quick dart, 

 escape the sweep of the net, and sail away again 

 over the trees ; to follow once more, heeding not 

 where it leads, until it is safely bagged, requires 

 quickness of eye and hand and a considerable 

 amount of ingenuity, nor is it without its full 

 quota of excitement. 



