iltc fjmmg Naturalist: 



A Penny Weekly Magazine of Natural History. 



No. GO. 



FEBRUARY 19th, 1881. 



Vol. 2. 



HOW TO BEGIN 

 30LEOPTERA COLLECTING. 



THERE arc probably more col- 

 lectors of Coleoptera, than of 

 insects of any other order except 

 Lepidoptera, and it is therefore fitting 

 it should be taken next in turn. 

 Instructions such as we propose to 

 igive have been published many times 

 before in other books, and those who 

 have read them must not expect to 

 ftnd anything new, but as some of these 

 books are now almost unattainable, 

 it is necessary we should endeavour to 

 Leach those who have no other guide. 

 Beetle collecting is something very 

 different, from collecting Butterflies 

 ind Moths. Beetles may be handled 

 without any fear of spoiling them, 

 (while the slightest touch on the wing 

 of a Lepidopterous insect effectually 

 destroys its beauty. It is not there- 

 fore so necessary that every Beetle be 

 placed in a separate receptacle, as it is 

 with Moths or Butterflies. They are 

 seldom taken on the wing, and seldom 

 feared from their earlier stages, and 

 iltogether the modus operandi differs 

 considerably. The nets required for 



Beetle hunting are a strong wide- 

 j mouthed net, that can be used either 

 for sweeping, or to hold under a tree, 

 or bush, which is beaten with a stout 

 ; stick. For this purpose (beating) some 

 I prefer an ordinary umbrella, which 

 perhaps can be used with great advan- 

 tage at times, but we would advise if 

 an umbrella be used, that the inside, 

 above the movable ribs, be covered 

 with some light colored fabric, in the 

 way that ladies parasols are now lined. 

 This prevents the objects you are in 

 search of falling in among the wires, 

 where they are not so easily got out. 

 The light color will also make them more 

 conspicuous by contrast. Another 

 form of net is needed for collecting 

 Water Beetles, and it should have a 

 longer handle, or means for adding to 

 its length. The bag of this net should 

 be made of a more open material, so 

 that the water will run easily through 

 it, otherwise your prey will escape, 

 particularly when rather active, as 

 most water beetles arc. For bark 

 collecting a strong ripping chisel is 

 needed. A good long-bladed knife 

 will also be useful in more cases than 

 one. An ordinary dinner knife will do, 

 but one of those "dagger" knives, 



