126 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



rustic bush houses, arches, etc., but I would advise anyone 

 wishing to study astronomy to stand in an open space, 



Queensland evenings are proverbially lovely, and sitting on 

 the verandah much affected ; but if you stoop unwarily forward 

 to admire the stars, probably you will see, too late, something 

 in the uncertain light like a black crab descending rapidly for 

 the point of your nose ; or you may see nothing, but hear 

 someone exclaim, " Oh ! a gnat Hack spider on the back of 

 your neck." 



The webs of some are very strong — so strong that we used 

 them sometimes to tie up little bouquets of flowers. 



The lace-work of others is here, as elsewhere, exquisite. 

 After a wet night I carried away a web on my hat, studded with 

 jewels ; and there was such an adhesiveness in it that it lasted 

 while carried about, and stood a good shaking before it lost its 

 beauty. 



In our walks we found in the grass and bushes diiferent 

 styles again both of web and spider, and the latter frequently 

 coloured exactly like the flower or leaf it frequented. One very 

 handsome fellow had knobs of polished white on a silver-grey 

 body. I did not see the black spider with red spots so much 

 xlreaded in Western Queensland. 



11. — Butterflies are very numerous and beautiful near 

 Toowoomba, and netting them a favourite sport. One at first 

 is charmed with the large black and grey varieties, with 

 Vermillion and cobalt blue markings. They are, however, so 

 common that after a w^hile the eye hardly rests upon them. 

 There are some brilliant emerald green, rare, I think, though 

 plentiful near Sydney. Little pointed-winged varieties, with a 

 mother-of-pearl sheen, I thought little gems of beauty. But it 

 is impossible to describe butterflies ; they must be seen. The 

 moths, too, are of very varied and delicate tints. 



Butterflies may be preserved in the simplest fashion, thus : — 

 As it is removed from the net the wings are gently folded up, 

 and the head pressed firmly with the fingers for a minute or so 

 till the insect is dead. It is then laid in a box, the wings care- 

 fully spread out and held by scraps of cardboard, with camphor 

 for weights. After a day in the box, or even less, they are set, 

 and can be put into a larger box, or arranged in any way 

 preferred. Pins are a mistake if the specimens are to be carried, 

 and so is cotton wool. Tissue paper is, I think, the best 

 packing. 



III. — Besides the real, undoubted " centipede," loathsome as 

 ever, the Darling Downs has a spurious sort, said to be harmless. 

 It is glossy, brownish in colour, with a grey sheen on the surface. 



