COLLECTING AND PRESERVING MATERIAL. 171 



Walking sticks can be found in most places in the 

 United States on low bushes. Sometimes they will be 

 found very abundantly over a limited area, as on a sin- 

 gle tree or a small number of trees. No net is needed 

 for their capture. 



Butterflies are usually plentiful over flowers or 

 in a clover field. Occasionally the Anosia are in very 

 great numbers for two or three days at a time. They 

 should be killed in a cyanide bottle, or by pouring a 

 few drops of chloroform or gasoline along the sides 

 of the abdomen. They should be preserved dry. A 

 piece of paper about five inches square is folded cor- 

 nerwise, one of the edges turned over, and the butter- 

 fly dropped in. A fold of the other edge closes the 

 triangle. Forty-eight hours before the butterflies are 

 needed for use the paper triangles containing them are 

 sprinkled heavily with water and placed in a tin box 

 with an air tight cover. The dried tissues will then 

 relax and the butterflies will be as useful as if freshly 

 caught. It will be found necessary to raise caterpillars 

 to obtain chrysalids, although in some places cocoons 

 of such moths as Cecropia may be cut from the trees. 

 Caterpillars are also to be preserved in strong alcohol. 



Beetles may be found by turning over logs and 

 stones. Some kinds, such as Harpalus, are frequently 

 found in great numbers under electric lights. Grubs 

 must be searched for by digging up the ground. In 

 early spring the grubs are frequently numerous in 

 meadows. 



Squash bugs can usually be found wherever squash 

 vines grow. In August or September is the best time 

 to look for them. 



Giant water bugs are most easily collected from 

 under electric lights. They may be drawn from shal- 

 low ponds with a minnow seine, and a very similar 

 bug, though smaller, Zaitha fluminea, is found abun- 

 dantly in similar places. 



