482 Insects. 



menced, and we wish him every success ; in the mean time he has 

 our honest thanks for the boon he has conferred on the science of En- 

 tomology. The figure of Pteronarcys regalis was engraved for Gosse's 

 c Canadian Naturalist,' and has been most obligingly lent to ' The 

 Zoologist,' to illustrate this paper. 



Enquiries in Practical Entomology. I gladly embrace this opportunity to thank 

 Mr. J. W. Douglas for his excellent description of the method of capturing moths with 

 sugar; and to express a hope that other experienced metropolitan entomologists will 

 from time to time favour their provincial and less experienced " brethren of the net" 

 with similar remarks on practical Entomology. The general usefulness of Mr. Ing- 

 pen's ' Instructions for Collecting Insects,' has been much impaired by omitting to 

 give detailed descriptions of the method of constructing the apparatus, on the plea 

 that there are now several shops in London where such can be procured ; but no data 

 are there given by the aid of which the rustic tyro, who perhaps has never seen these 

 articles, can give the necessary directions to a tradesman. So little has Entomology 

 been cultivated in Scotland, that there is not a shop, even in Edinburgh, where a sin- 

 gle article, except the forceps, no, not even proper pins, are sold ; but these can now 

 be procured from London by post. My friend Mr. E. Brown has described a collect- 

 ing-box (Zool. 177), the merits of which I have fully tested ; and by his advice I have 

 adopted the folding hoop of an angler's landing-net, which screws into a handle or 

 walking-stick, and is fitted with three bags of different sizes, of gauze, coarse canvas 

 and linen, and I have found it to be the best and handiest weapon of any. I should 

 feel greatly obliged by some of your correspondents describing the best way of fitting 

 up a lantern for mothing purposes, and also for a list of such flowers and shrubs as are 

 most frequented by the pretty rovers of the night, that, if necessary, I may add them 

 to our borders. Such practical hints are invaluable to every one that is seriously bent 

 on self culture. For want of such knowledge how many sigh after returning from an 

 unprofitable excursion, though undertaken at the sweet hours dedicated to silence and 

 meditation, and mourn over the sad loss of time, of which, as Seneca nobly says, " It 

 is a virtue to be covetous !" — Archibald Hepburn ; January 9, 1844. 



[In my ' Familiar Introduction to the History of Insects,' I have endeavoured to 

 give the information required by Mr. Hepburn. I quote the observations on appara- 

 tus; those on localities, mode of collecting, &c. I would willingly transfer to these pa- 

 ges, but I cannot afford the space they would occupy. — E. iV\] 



" The principal instruments of the collector are boxes and nets. The boxes should 

 be of mahogany, opening readily on brass hinges ; length seven inches, breadth four 

 inches, depth two inches ; the top and bottom should be lined with fine soft cork, and 

 covered with white paper. The pockets of a shooting jacket will readily carry three 

 or four such boxes as these. Besides these boxes, there should be two long cylindri- 

 cal tin boxes for the caterpillars of Lepidoptera : the tin not only keeps the caterpillars 

 cool, but it causes the leaves on which they feed to retain their freshness many days. 

 Tin boxes are also useful to bring home Diptera alive : in this case a cylinder of tin 

 passes through the lid of the box, and is corked at the top. 



" The clap-net, represented at the head of this chapter, is the grand weapon of the 

 entomologist. This is a large piece of muslin, four feet long and nearly three wide, 



