COLLECTING NOTES. 
For collecting butterflies nothing more is necessary than a net, an empty cigar-box and 
3-cornered paper envelopes of various sizes to suit the insects. The envelopes should be of fairly 
stout but not stiff paper ; the butterflies to be placed in these envelopes with closed wings, and 
packed away closely in the cigar-box, so that they will not shake about in travelling. 400 or 500 
butterflies of average dimensions can be packed easily into one of the deep, square-shaped boxes. 
Flake napthaline should be sprinkled between the layers of envelopes, but before finally closing the 
box you had better put in a few drops of benzine. This will kill any insect life which may have 
chanced to creep in, even that worst of pests here in a collection—a tiny beetle of the genus 
Dermestes. If possible choose a fine, dry day for packing up finally, and give the papers an airing 
before filling them into the box. 
Set no butterflies except those which you really require for working at, comparison, etc. 
Set insects in this climate need an enormous amount of care and attention, and even then deteriorate 
rapidly. Damp, mould and mites play havoc with them in the wet season ; in the dry months the 
antennae and legs snap off at the slightest touch or jar, and the forelegs especially are often most 
valuable for determining species and sex, as also are the palpi. 
No cyanide bottle is required for butterflies, though one may be employed for Lycaenidae 
and Hesperiidae if thought well. 
Date and locality are most important, and without these data insects are of little value. 
In the case of papered butterflies the date and locality should be written on the envelopes ; with 
set butterflies these data should be written on a small slip of paper or thin card and put on the pin, 
below the insect. 
As soon as possible after a box is filled it should be sent home. The butterflies can then 
be relaxed and set, years after they were captured if necessary, in as good condition as when 
first taken. 
Eggs should be taken with the leaf or shoot on which they are laid, and placed (without 
water, and if wet they should be dried in the air) in a wide-mouthed bottle corked up until they 
hatch. When the larvae emerge, put the old leaves on to a fresh spray of the foodplant, to which 
the larvae will soon remove, and keep them whilst very young in a bottle. Afterwards you can 
change them to a breeding-cage and put the plant in a small bottle of water ; put a little cotton or 
other filling in the neck of the bottle round the stem of the foodplant, or some restless larvae will 
drown themselves ; mosquitos will also breed in the water if they have access. Larvae should 
