24 BUTTEUFLY COLLECTOR'S 



consist of four joints, with sockets for the convenience of 

 carriage, and the terminal joint must either be bent into a 

 curve, or fitted with an angnlar socket or ferrule, so a-s to 

 form an obtuse angle with the rest of the rod. The gauze 

 which is to form the net being cut into the requisite shape, 

 should be welted round except at the bottom, where it should 

 have a deep fold or bag for preventing the escape of the 

 captive, and in order to form a slide for the rods to slip in. 

 At the apex where they meet, a few stitches should be set, 

 or a piece of leatlier sewed in, to prevent their going too 

 far. At the bottom, on each side two strings must be sewed 

 on the net ; to receive which, there must be a hole in each 

 rod about six inches from the bottom ; these must be tied, 

 which will keep the net from slipping upwards. 



M'hen the Fly-net is used, it may cither be held with one 

 hand with the rods crossed, in which way it is more readily 

 elevated, if the insect rises ; or the rods may be taken one in 

 each hand, so as to keep it extended, and whenfau-ly beyond 

 the insect pursued, the two sticks must be brought together 

 to seciure it. 



Under this head may be mentioned a very ingenious net 

 for taking Butterflies, invented by Dr. Maclean, of Colches- 

 ter, which may be called Maclean's Elastic Net. It is 

 constructed of two pieces of stout split cane, connected by a 

 joint at each end, and with a rod which lies between them, 

 in which a pulley is fixed ; through this a cord fastened to 

 the canes passes ; a long cane with a ferrule receives the 

 lower end of the rod and forms a handle ; and to the canes 

 is fastened a net of green gauze. Taking the handle in tlie 

 right hand, and the string in the left, when the latter is 

 pulled the canes bend till they form a liooj), and the net 

 appended to them is open ; when the Butterllics are in it, 

 relax the cord, and the canes become straiglit and close the 



