HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 5 



handle of the sweep net too short, some on the market being only six 

 inches long. These do not tire the arm so much as nets with longer 

 handles, but you either miss the insects living near the ground or 

 you get a very tired back. One useful trick in sweeping is to have a 

 small cushion (about 2X1}^ inches) of cotton covered with cheese- 

 cloth or muslin and a bottle of chloroform or ether. After sweeping 

 for a few minutes moisten the cushion with the anesthetic, drop it 

 into the net and quickly twist up the bag so that the fumes are con- 

 fined. In a short time even the liveliest grasshoppers will be asleep 

 and can be picked out and either saved or rejected. If rejected they 

 will all shortly revive and walk, hop or fly away. The cushion is 

 not strictly necessaiy as the chloroform may be put directly on the net 

 after the insects are folded in the bottom. 



The third net of the complete outfit is the water net. The bag 

 should be of some strong material through which water will run readily. 

 The rim should be strong and may be either circular in outline or 

 flattened at the side opposite the handle. The advantage of the flat- 

 tening is that the bottoip of ponds can be skimmed, but the circular 

 rim does fairly well, as the stirring of the water stirs up even the bot- 

 tom insects and they are caught in the return swish of the net. A great 

 deal of mud and weeds will also be caught, but devices to prevent this, 

 such as covering the mouth of the net with a coarse wire screen, do not 

 work well in collecting insects. After clearing the net of mud as much 

 as possible by washing it through the net, dump the rest on the bank, 

 preferably in the sun. Some insects will probably be seen at once, 

 others will appear as the mass dries out. After you think you have 

 found everything, wait a while and look out for very small beetles. 

 Many collectors miss them. 



Many or most of the nets that are for sale have folding rims and 

 jointed handles. Opinion differs as to the best. When, as is often 

 the case, Ughtness and ease of transportation are objects, it is well to 

 have but one handle and frame with interchangeable bags. The land- 

 ing net used by fishermen in which the frame consists of two pieces of 

 flexible steel that lie close together when not in use is excellent. The 

 two-jointed handle is better than the three-jointed one, as one of the 

 joints of the former is just right except for high flying or deep diving 

 quarry. In these cases add the second. 



A sieve is handy for getting the small insects hiding under ac- 

 cumulations of dead leaves, in moss, trash, etc. Two sieves with 

 meshes of different size are handier. A good plan is to have a strong 



