IX 



their passage out ; some spin up in a fine transparent web like gauze ; others again 

 are composed of so few threads as scarcely to contain the chrysalis: the caterpillars of 

 the hairy sort generally mix their hair with their webs. 



The chrysalides of many of the butterfly kind appear all over beautifully 

 gilt, like burnished gold ; others variously spotted, like gold and silver ; some white* 

 spotted with black ; others green striped and spotted with brown : most of these differ 

 both in form and colour. 



Those of the moth kind, especially of the larger sort, are of a dirty brown, and 

 not greatly differing in form ; those indeed of the smaller kind vary in form and 

 colour ; but there are none that may be reckoned extraordinary either for beauty of 

 colour or shape, nor has any one of them the least appearance of metal on them, as 

 those of the butterfly kind, — that being peculiar to them alone, and of them to one 

 particular class, namely, those of the spiked or branched kind. 



The eggs both of moths and butterflies vary so much, that I could not, without 

 many exceptions, make any distinction between one and the other. 



It is observable that butterflies never pass through the winter in the egg state ; 

 and on the other hand, moths very rarely pass that season in their fly state : an ob- 

 servation that, I believe, has hitherto escaped general notice. 



Of the several sorts of Nets, and the manner of catching Flies. 



There are several sorts of nets made use of to catch insects, to wit, the batfolder, 

 the racket, and the scissors net; the batfolder is made of mosquito gauze, and is 

 formed like the batfolding net made use of to catch birds ; these may be had at the 

 fishing-tackle shops by asking for them; they call them butterfly traps. 



The method of using the batfolding net is thus : on seeing the insect come flying 

 toward you, you must endeavour to meet it, or lay yourself in its way, so that it may 

 come rather to the right side of you, as if you intended to let it pass ; then, having 

 the net in your hands, incline it down to your right side, turning yourself a little 

 about to the right, ready for the stroke ; not unlike the attitude in which a batman 

 in the game at cricket stands, when he is ready to strike the ball, — only his bat is 

 lifted up, but your nets must incline rather downward : when the fly is within your 

 reach, strike at it forcibly, receiving the fly in the middle of your net, as it were, 

 between the two sockets of the benders, that being the part of the net which best 

 receives the insect ; and not only so, but should the fly strike against the belly or 

 wider part of the net, the course of air caused by the motion of the net, would carry 

 the fly with it out of the net between your hands, which I have often experienced. 

 The motion of your hands in catching, must be from your right hip to your left 

 shoulder, not at all retarding the motion, till it is as it were spent, closing the net in 

 the motion. 



You are likewise to remember never to give the stroke over-handed, unless the 

 situation of the place oblige you to it. Having closed the net with the insect in it, 

 immediately grasp both the sticks in your left hand, and with your right lay hold of 

 the bottom part of your net, pulling the gauze pretty tight, giving that also to the 



