THE COLLECTION OF SPECIMENS. 285 



have been devised for this purpose, and are in use 

 by professional entomologists, but the beginner 

 needs only a few of them. Usually a collecting out- 

 fit will consist of merely a net, a killing bottle, and a 

 few vials or pill-boxes for bringing home living 

 specimens. If one desires to collect butterflies it is 

 well to add to this list a cork-lined collecting box 

 and perhaps a vial of chloroform with a small brush 

 fitted in the cork. 



Insect Nets. — Many insects can be easily and 

 safely caught by hand, but it is desirable that some 

 members of the class, and the more the better, should 

 have insect-nets. The usual form of an insect net is 

 shown in Fig. 253. Such a net is made as follows: — 



The ring is of No. 3 galvanized iron wire, and is 

 one foot in diameter. It is securely fitted into a light 

 wooden handle, which is three feet and six inches in 

 length. The ring is covered with a piece of strong 

 cloth — ordinary sheeting — to which a bag of cheese- 

 cloth is sewed. The strong cloth over the ring is 

 necessary to prevent the net from wearing out 

 quickly. The bag of the net should be longer than 

 its diameter, so that when an insect is caught while 

 flying it can be imprisoned in the bottom of the bag 

 by simply rolling the handle of the net. The bottom 

 of the bag should be rounded, without corners or 

 points in which insects can lodge. 



Killing Bottles. — The specimens collected 

 should be killed in some way that shall not mutilate 

 them. This can be done by putting a few drops of 

 chloroform, sulphuric ether, or benzene on cotton 

 and inclosing it with the insects to be killed in a 

 bottle or small box. But the most convenient way, 



