The YOtfHG HATtfBAMST: 



A Monthly Magazine of Natural History. 



Pabt 87. MARCH, 1887. Vol. 8. 



PAPERS FOR BEGINNERS. 



By ROBERT GILLO. 



ON COLLECTING LEPIDOPTERA (APPARATUS REQUIRED, &c.) 



THE following remarks are intended for the assistance of those young 

 students only, who have recently commenced or are about to com- 

 mence the collection and study of the Lepidoptera. 



Our success in any undertaking depends to a great extent on the manner 

 in which we set about it, more particularly will this be found to be the case, 

 when our object is that of collecting insects, from the study of which we 

 expect to derive a great deal of pleasure. Those who begin without the 

 necessary appliances and materials find difficulties and disappointments 

 almost at the outset, the result being that in many cases the study is aban- 

 doned. In this paper it will be my endeavour to point out what these 

 essentials are, and how the necessary materials may be obtained at the least 

 cost. 



I have frequently met with those, who having procured a net rushed at 

 once into the country, and caught a number of specimens without previously 

 considering how they were to be set, or what they were afterwards to be kept 

 in. Only last season I met two youths energetically collecting Lepidoptera. 

 They succeeded in catching a number of specimens, some being rather good 

 insects, but they had nothing to put them in except a very small wooden box, 

 which was not lined with cork, and furnished only with a few common pins. 

 Into this box they crammed all they caught, totally spoiling the whole of 

 them. This is by no means an unusual occurrence, and seems to me to be 

 nothing short of ignorant and wanton destruction. 



For the collection of Lepidoptera a net is of course indispensable, I shall 

 not describe this or express any opinion as to which form is best : the usual 

 butterfly net known to every schoolboy answering very well. 



