NOTES AND OBSEBVATIONS. 125 



at a station near Cheltenbam he was surprised to see a moth, similar 

 to the one he had in his pocket, keep flying round him and finally 

 settle on his co;it. He concluded it was his moth which had escaped, 

 and he remarked to his companion how sorry he was to lose it, as it 

 might have been a "rare specimen." On looking at his box, to see 

 how his capture could have got out, he was, to use his own words, 

 •' astonished to find the insect was still in the box. and that this was 

 another but similar individual which had settled <m me." It is a well- 

 known fact that the male of such insects as Bomhijx ijuemis, J^Aidromia 

 versiculur, &c., are readily attracted by a captive female, but is this not 

 rather uncommon among the "hawk-moths"? Can any of your 

 readers tell me of similar incidents ? — W. R. Smith. 



Setting Lepidoptera. — Mr. Woodforde's remarks {aiite, p. 88) are 

 excellent, and go to the root of the matter. It is much to be wished 

 that they may act as a nail in the coffin of the ungainly atrocities one 

 sometimes acquires under the name of '* specimens," especially among 

 the Geometers. I do not see why there should not be some generally 

 recognised standard of setting among those who exchange specimens ; 

 it must be confessed that there is no such thing now, although either 

 the figures in Newman, as Mr. Woodforde says, or perhaps still better, 

 the figure in Greene's ' Insect Hunter's Companion,' would supply the 

 want. Press of work in summer should not l)e pleaded as an excuse, 

 for it is surely more satisfactory to take fewer insects and set them 

 properly, than to have a large number of specimens which correspon- 

 dents will scarcely care to receive. Greene's remarks on this subject 

 in the work mentioned above ought to be carefully read and laid to 

 heart by every entomologist. A great reform would be quickly effected, 

 if every exchanger would make a resolve never to send out an insect 

 that he would not care to receive himself. I think it will be admitted 

 that there has been considerable improvement in this respect of late 

 years, but it is w^ell to refer to the matter occasionally, that younger 

 generations may know what is expected of them. As regards methods 

 of setting, no doubt everyone will work out his own plan and stick to 

 that ; and, provided two or three general principles, well stated by Mr. 

 Woodforde, as to height on pin and height on setting- board, are 

 observed, the result will always be satisfactory. Details may differ 

 indefinitely. Some people set their insects with cotton, a method 

 which, personally, I regard with amazement not unmixed with awe. 

 Others use bristles, the working of which I do not quite catch from 

 Mr. Woodforde's instructions. For myself I find a thin strip of 

 paper, supplemented afterwards by a broader one, does the business 

 very well. But it is certainly necessary to have your specimen well 

 relaxed, and the plan I have always adopted is simply to leave the 

 day's catch in the cyanide bottle till the next morning, when my ex- 

 perience is that they are in just the right condition for pinning and 

 setting, and they can be kept so for any length of time by transferring 

 them to a box lined with damp cork. Of course, if kept here too long 

 they will develop mould, and it is best to set them without the inter- 

 vention of the damp cork, if possible, especially as I think it helps 

 them to become greasy. As to grease, I do not think it need be much 

 of a bugbear. Some moths certainly should be cleaned out at once, 



