PRESERVATION OF INSECTS. 269 



quarter as many as the Lepidoptera, the Neu- 

 roptera still less, and the Orthoptera least of all. 



861. In size and beauty the Lepidoptera and 

 Neuroptera greatly excel ; but both these classes 

 contain also a great number of minute and ap- 

 parently insignificant species : the Coleoptera rank 

 next in these respects, and the Diptera and Hy- 

 menoptera contain the smallest. In the order 

 Mymarites are insects so small that they may now 

 be traversing this page, unnoticed by the reader. 



862. The haunts of Lepidoptera are very va- 

 rious. Butterflies are to be taken chiefly in the 

 sunshine ; they delight in the honey of flowers, 

 and fields of clover ; lucerne and tares greatly 

 attract them. Sphingites fly at every hour : they 

 delight more in tubular flowers ; the honeysuckle 

 and jasmine are especial favourites. 



863. The Geometrites fly in the dusk of even- 

 ing, but may be easily disturbed and caught in the 

 day ; their flight is slow, soft, and feathery. The 

 Noctuites, and all the heavy moths, fly in the 

 night ; they are excessively rapid on the wing ; 

 they settle on yew berries to suck their sweets, 

 also on sugar, when put out to attract them. An 

 empty sugar hogshead is an excellent decoy. 



864. All night-flying moths are attracted by 

 the light of a lamp or candle ; and some ento- 

 mologists, availing themselves of this propensity, 

 sally forth to the woods at night, having a bull's- 

 eye lanthorn strapped to them, and with the clap 



