75 



length of string, this prevents it reversing and emptying when 

 the ring hits a stump, It also prevents the bag swinging wide and' 

 causing the larvae in front of you to drop. 



In using a sweeping net the net should be pushed through 

 the herbage from side to side in ziz-zag fashion ahead of you, 

 holding the net slanted much as a shrimp net is held, so that 

 the larvae shaken may fall into the mouth of the net. Night time 

 pays best. 



The following books are well worth getting and contain fuller 

 details and most useful hints : — 



Newman, L. W. Book issued April, 1913. 

 Knaggs. Guide. 



Green. Insect Hunter's Companion. 



Tutt. Practical Hints for the Field Lepidopterist. 



As to methods with other insects, they are ^remarkably 

 similar, but I do not feel sufficiently versed in the methods of 

 collecting the other orders to give any direction. 



When netting use glass-bottomed pill boxes to carry home 

 your captives in and kill them at home, do not kill them in the 

 field if it can be avoided. Most species travel well in boxes, 

 especially if kept in the dark. The large Sphinges and the noisy 

 Lasiocampids must usually be killed by a capacious cyanide bottle 

 at time of capture. If it is contemplated that the second flight 

 be worked, kill your captives before the second flight comes, 

 otherwise they will knock about. 



We kill with chloroform by taking each box and, from the 

 inside of the cover, making a small hole ; with a pipette drop a 

 little chloroform on the hole, when the insect speedily becomes 

 unconscious and can then be dropped into the Cyanide bottle. I 

 prefer Scheele's Prussic Acid to anything myself, but it is difficult 

 to procure and very dangerous in inexperienced hands. With 

 pipette, chloroform and killing bottle we can on return from the chase 

 finish off 200 insects in ten minutes or so. They should be left 

 in the killing bottle at least two hours and then transferred to 

 a Newman's relaxing tin (supplied by L. W. Newman, of Bexley). 

 I have now had one of these tins in use for twelve months, and 

 have passed over 4,000 insects through it, and it is the best 

 relaxing tin I have ever struck. It keeps insects beautifully limp 

 without either mouldiness or staining. 



With regard to nets, I prefer a ring net to any other form, 

 since I am more certain with it, but kite nets are also useful. 



Umbrella nets I don't consider pleasant to use, but they are 

 useful if you want to appear not to be collecting. The handle 

 should be as short as the work in hand permits. My usual handle 

 is about 1 foot 6 inches long, but I use one 1 1 feet or so when 

 catching B. parthenias. For successful use a long handle must 

 be well balanced, actual weight matters little within reasonable 

 limits if the balance is right. 



