28 



THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



fine collection of Lepidoptera is a very 

 rare thing. If we begin on something- 

 easier and work atthat with patience and 

 perseverance for a time, we will be ready 

 for something more difficult bye and bye. 

 Consequently, for a time we shall confine 

 ourselves to the study and collecting of 

 beetles. 



Apparatus for Collecting 

 Beetles. 

 The apparatus needed is extremely sim- 

 ple and may be prepared almost without 

 cost, especially if the collector be blessed 

 with a little ingenuity. The essentials 

 are cyanide bottles, nets, pins, tweezers, 

 and cases. 



firmly set and the bottle dried out, fit in 

 a tight cork and it is ready for use. The 

 length of time necessary to kill the beet- 

 les can soon be determined. Some die 

 easily while others hold to life very ten- 

 aciously. Fine tweezers may be obtained 

 from dealers for from twenty five to sev- 

 enty five cents. Passable tweezers may 

 be made from heavy brass wire, a piece 

 of which is bent double and the ends filed 

 dovvn to the requisite shape. Several sizes 

 will be found useful. 



A stout water net for dreging ponds 

 and pools is a very necessary article in 

 collecting water beetles. The ringshould- 

 be of three-sixteenths iron wire and about 



Fin;: IV. Butterfly net. For beetles use cheese cloth instead of netting. 



A durable and convenient cyanide bot- 

 tles can be made from any medium sized, 

 wide mouthed bottle-for instance- a vas- 

 eline bottle. Place in the bottle about 

 half a dozen pieces of cyanide of potassium 

 of the size of peas. Then pour over them 

 enough plaster of paris mixed with water 

 (to about the consistency of thick cream) 

 to just cover them. After the plasterhas 



one foot in diameter (See Fig. 3). The 

 net may be made of cheese cloth-onefoot 

 deep and tapering to a point. It will be 

 found a good pla,n to first cover the ring 

 with stout cloth and sew the cheese cloth 

 to that. The whole may then be mount- 

 ed in a stout handle — a broom stick an- 

 swers the purpose very well. Another net 

 lor dr.v collecting (See Fig. 4) may be 



