VADE MECUM. 25 



mouth of the net, kpopinp; tlicm close witli tlie left hand, 

 they may soon l)e disabled with the right. 



The (lennans for the capture of Lcpiiioptem, when settled 

 on plants, use a large and long ])air of Ft/roeps, having 

 octagonal leaves of ten or twelve inches in diameter, covered 

 with green gauze or fine catgut, wliich are held and moved 

 like a pair of scissars. In aiming at an insect witli fnrccps, 

 the leaves should be expanded as wide as possible, and the 

 prey approached very cautiously, and when within reach, 

 close them npon it suddenly, including the leaf or flower on 

 which it rests. As these are sometimes bvilky, and prevent 

 the instrument fi-om shutting closely, that the included 

 insect may not escape, it is sometimes necessary to use the 

 other hand to bring them together, when the pressure of the 

 finger and thumb soon disables it. 



One gi-eat object of the collector of Butterflies is to bring 

 them sttfely home. As soon then as they are taken, and 

 disabled as much as possible witliout injury, they should be 

 transfixed with a pin and put into a pocket box lined with 

 cork, or an oblong chip one, with paper pa.sted over it, and 

 lined at the top and bottom. Butterflies may be easily killed 

 by pressing the breast betwixt the finger and thumb, and 

 then passing a pin through the thorax. Mr. Haworth ad- 

 vises as the means of certain and speedy destruction, that 

 the needles or pins should be red-hot ; but this is only 

 necessary with the larger species. Tliey may also be 

 destroyed by plachig them on a plate mider an inverted 

 tumbler, and setting it before the fire a minute or two. A 

 better method recommended by Mr. Kirby, is to fix the 

 impaled insects on a ])iece of cork, or any soft wood, such as 

 elder or willow, across the bottom of a mng, then to invert 

 it in a deep bason, into which pom- boiling water till it is 

 covered, holding it firmly down that the expansion of the 



