THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 147 



First then, we will speak of the apparatus required. The most useful form 

 of net is the ring net similar to that commonly used for butterflies, but much 

 stronger. It should be made of iron wire, at least an eight of an inch thick, 

 and covered with strong cheese-cloth, the bag of which should be not nearly 

 so deep as that used for Lepidoptera. It must be securely fixed to a strong 

 stick about three feet long, and in this condition is very useful for sweeping 

 banks, long grass, or herbage generally ; if an additional length of stick is 

 attached in some secure manner, it forms a very good water-net for collecting 

 in ponds, the banks of streams, ditches, fee. The net has also another use, 

 there are immense numbers of beetles that are found amongst debris of various 

 kinds, and are very difficult to secure as they so easily hide themselves in the 

 rubbish, but are readily secured if immediately on being observed they are 

 thrown into the net together with some of the debris. 



For receptacles in which to bring home the captures, bottles are generally 

 preferred to boxes. One with a wide mouth and securely fitting cork, through 

 which a piece of glass tube or a large quill has been passed, the tube should 

 fit the cork tightly and project about an inch on the outside and a similar 

 length on the inside, but not reaching to the bottom of the bottle will be 

 found most useful, as all small beetles can be easily passed down the tube into 

 the bottle but are not able to return, so that the collector can go on inserting 

 fresh insects without the bother and annoyance of the others previously cap- 

 tured escaping. For greater safety when returning home, a plug of wood or 

 paper may be inserted into the mouth of the tube. An ordinary sized poma- 

 tum bottle will be found very suitable, and a piece of glass tube about the 

 size of an ordinary blacklead pencil, can be procured at any shop which 

 supplies chemists' appliances. The hole through the cork is quickly make 

 by simply pressing the end of the tube against the cork and at the same time 

 turning it round, so that a collecting bottle of this description is very easily 

 made. 



The ground-beetles, soldier-beetles, and others being carnivourous, will 

 attack and mutilate each other if placed together alive in the same receptacle. 

 The larger species may be put separately into strong pill boxes, but the usual, 

 and by far the best plan is to have a well-corked bottle, containing bruised 

 laurel leaves, in which to place all such as are at all likely to fight. The 

 fumes of the laurel will soon overpower any beetle, however large, but if 

 greater rapidity of action is wished, a slip of paper can be inserted moistened 

 with chloroform or ether ; or instead of laurel leaves a few bits of rag moist- 

 ened with common benzoline may be used, some collectors prefer this method 

 for killing all the larger beetles. In addition to these bottle a few strong 

 homoeopathic pilule tubes for special captures and a few extra vial bottles will 



