rSTRODUCTION. 
105 
above account refers is the vicinity of Reading, in 
Berkshire. The list given by Jlr. Bird of the spe- 
cies taken in the manner described, includes many 
of the rarer and most beautiful kinds found in this 
country. 
Another method of capturing moths has recently 
been practised in the north of England by P. J. 
Selby, Esq. of Twizel, and has been attended mth 
so much success, that n-e have much pleasure in 
being enabled to subjoin the following account of 
it as communicated by that distinguished natu- 
ralist. “ In the course of my entomological pursuits 
— for that fascinating department of Zoology has 
for the last year engrossed a great part of my leisure, 
— my attention was first directed to the mode I have 
since adopted for the capture of noctm-nal lepidoptera, 
by the extraordinary success that I imderstood had 
attended the exposure of a sugar-cask, recently 
emptied, in a favourable situation ; and by means 
of which attraction a great variety of moths, some 
of them of very rare occurrence, had been secured. 
As sugar casks are not easily procured in this 
country, I bethought myself of some succedaneum, 
and it presently struck me that a beehive, or as it is 
generally called here, a skep, recently emptied of 
its honey, or well anointed with the same, might 
answer the prirpose, as it was evident the insects 
were attracted by the saccharine matter and smelL 
I accordingly had one prepared, and the very first 
evening was convinced that it would prove a very 
efficient trap, as several moths of different species 
