26 BULLETIN OF THE BROOKLYN ENT. SOC. 



inhabitants of rain pools and puddles etc. can be captured by dis- 

 turbing the water with a stick and thus bringing up the impurities 

 from the bottom. Soon thereafter insects will be seen floating on 

 the surface and can be easily captured with the hand. 



The decaying vegetable substances, leaves etc. on the bottom of 

 ponds, as well as the weeds and plants growing therein should be 

 taken out with the 1 net and carefully examined, and will yield 

 many small species. I have never found Ehnidae between such sub- 

 stances, although I have heard that other collectors have done so. 



JSlmidae and Parnidae can be taken on wood immersed in run- 

 ning water, in which some obstruction causes a strong current. 



Wood appears to be generally preferred by them and can be laid 

 as traps on the bed of a brook in suitable places. I have repeated- 

 ly taken as many as fifty and more specimen on a short piece of 

 board. 



With the advancing summer the most useful tool for the collec- 

 tor will be the beating net. With it the blooming meadows, the 

 shrubbery on the sides of country roads and foot paths, the low 

 trees on the boarders of woods and on the banks of brooks and dit- 

 ches, bushes and the like are swept by dexterous strokes. After 15 

 or 20 strokes the contents of the net should be examined and if the 

 locality has been well selected, it will contain a great variety of in- 

 sects of all orders, and generally a collector gets more desirable 

 species than he is able to collect in any other way. 



The larger the net, the better it will of course be adapted to the 

 purpose. A strong wira ring of one to one and a half foot in di' 

 ameter with a bag of muslin attached of at least the same depth, 

 firmly fixed to the end of a stick about 2 to 3 feet long, represents 

 the most simple and durable beating net. To maka it more con- 

 venient for carrying, quite a large number of different construc- 

 tions have been recommended. A very practical one is that des- 

 cribed by Mr* Hoyt in the present number. 



In another form which is much used, the ring consist of differ- 

 ent parts, two or three, which are connected by means of joints, 

 and the ring can be folded when not in use By means of a screw 

 the ends of this ring are firmly fixed into a tube, which again fits 

 tightly on the end of an ordinary walking cane. In any fishing 

 tackle store, rings of this or of a similar construction are for sale, 

 and it is therefore unnecessary to give here a more detailed des- 

 cription. 



(To be continued.) 



Mr. Kampfmdller, will furnish, nets of any description, his address will be 

 found in the advertising columns 



