I—COLLECTING AND OBSERVING. 
CHAPTER I. 
ON VARIOUS MODES OF COLLECTING AND OBSERVING 
BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS IN NEW ZEALAND. 
T may be safely said that, in the great majority of cases, 
an interest in Natural History is first awakened by a 
desire to collect specimens, and the experience gained in’ 
making sueh a collection very often forms the starting 
point for more serious scientific investigations. It: therefore 
appears appropriate to deal with the questions of collecting 
and observing in the same chapter, and it is in fact often 
very difficult to draw any definite line between the two 
activities. 
The first requisite for the collector of insects is a 
reliable net. For the purpose of catching butterflies and 
moths the ordinary cane ring net is the most suitable and 
may be constructed as follows :— 
First procure a strong forked metal tubing shaped like 
a Y; the large tube is to receive the end of an ordinary 
walking-stick and the two smaller tubes the ends of a cane 
which is bent round in the form of a hoop. A bag is then 
made of green leno, or mosquito net, sewn to a stout hem 
of stronger material threaded on to the cane ring, thus 
eompleting the ‘net. The bag should be made about 2 feet 
6 inches deep with the bottom angles well rounded off, so 
that captured insects cannot retreat into the corners and 
damage themselves in their efforts to escape. The fold of 
the seam of the net should always be kept outside. . This 
is very important as small insects get in beneath the foided 
seam and become damaged. When working on a mountain, 
or in any other remote locality, it is well to have a 
duplicate net-bag available in case of accident. At all 
events a needle and cotton should be carried so that any 
tear may be repaired on the spot. A good stout stick is 
an indispensable adjunct to the net, and is used to beat 
foliage, in order to dislodge any specimens resting amongst 
the leaves, or on the twigs. A stout manuka stick, about 
five feet long, makes an admirable beating stick, and. is also 
a great help to the entomologist when travelling over rough 
country. As a rule it will be found convenient to keep the 
net in readiness in the right. hand, retaining the beating 
stick in the left. Moths may often be dislodged from small 
trees by giving the trunks one or two sharp kicks with the 
heel, and this method will be found very useful in those 
eases where the beating stick cannot be brought into 
effective operation. Wood-borers, when first emerged, may 
often be dislodged by beating dead branches over a net or 
umbrella. 
A 
The umbrella net, which may be purchased from any 
dealer in entomological apparatus, has the advantage of 
extreme portability, and is most useful for collecting in 
the immediate vicinity of towns. The stick, which crosses 
the opening of the net, is liable to injure any specimen 
which it happens to strike, but as most of the New Zealand 
species are small in size, this risk is insignificant and may 
be disregarded. A sweeping net, made on the same principle 
as the umbrella net, is also a most useful adjunct. This 
class of net is swept indiscriminately through foliage, blos- 
soms or grasses, and by its means some minute specimens 
of moths may be taken which would be difficult or impos- 
sible to obtain by any other method. It is also invaluable 
for the collection of larvae. The net should, however, be 
examined and cleared every two or three sweeps, otherwise 
the specimens will be damaged amongst the accumulation 
of dead leaves and refuse. 
When a rapid flying insect is fairly in the net, the 
handle must be immediately turned with a sharp motion of 
the wrist, so that the bag falls over the edge of the ring 
and thus prevents the captive’s escape until it is safely 
‘“ poxed.’’ The best boxes for this purpose are metal boxes 
with glass lids. As soon as the insect has ceased fluttering, 
one of these boxes, of suitable size, should be carefully 
placed over it, the net being tightly drawn over the opening 
of the box, and the lid adroitly slipped on, when the closed 
box containing the insect may be withdrawn from the net. 
In this way the collector will soon become expert in boxing 
specimens caught in the net, and it is almost needless to 
say that a capture must never be touched with the fingers. 
Lepidoptera may also be boxed whilst at rest on blossoms, 
tree trunks or palings, and many valuable notes made at 
the same time, as to the nature of the various kinds of 
protective colourings and rest attitudes adopted by the 
different species, in order to elude their various enemies. 
The position of any mutilations in the wings observed in 
specimens taken in their natural surroundings should also 
be carefully noted. In addition the observant collector will 
record the relative abundance of the various species, which 
often vary greatly from year to year. He will also note 
the class of localities frequented by each, their manner of 
flight, courtship and any other point of special interest. 
The preference of any species for special blossoms or plants 
should also be recorded, especially in respect of those 
species whose life-history is unknown. It is, perhaps, 

