resh information on the subject; but as many of my readers may be unable to consult works specially devoted thereto, the present

something like a chisel, but bent round at the upper end, are the best instruments for working old trees. The bark should be all stripped off and examined, as well as the surface of the log underneath. The same remarks apply

a stout walking-stick. The same object may be attained by spreading a newspaper, or sheet, under the trees and then shaking them; the beetles will fall on

inhabitants will fall out, and can easily be obtained. Dead fish on the sea beach are often very productive. Moss and fungi are unfa

xes are far better for all kinds of collecting than either pill- or chip-boxes, as they do not break when knocked about. A separate box should always be given to a lar

ed on the right and others on the left side. When pinned the beetles are set on a corked board, the legs, &c., being placed in a natural position, and retained until dry by means of pins and pieces of paper and card. The smaller species should be mounted with

leoptera, the smaller ones on card with gum. These insects should, if possible, be made to fly into the vessel of boiling water, as by this means they generally die with their wings expanded, which

t, and pinned in the same way, but sh

ch of the ends being supported in a forked tube shaped like a Y, and the long tube, forming the base of the Y, is firmly fitted on to the end of a walking-stick. This form of net is light, strong, and easily made; the only thing requiring special attention is the Y, but this can be readily made

r a few hours the insects should be tilted out of the bottle on to a tablecloth, and pinned exactly through the centre of the thorax. The rough surface of the tablecloth prevents them from slipping during the operation. About one-third of an inch of pin should project below the body of the insect. If a moth or butterfly dies with its wings folded upwards over the back, it must be carefully picked up between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, and the pin inserted with the corresponding fingers of the right hand. When all are pinned they should be transferred to a tin box, lined with cork, which has been previously well damped with water. While pinning them into this box great care must be taken not to allow the wings to come in contact with the damp cork. In about twenty-four hours the specimens thus treated will be ready for setting. This process is performed by means of corked boards of various widths for different sized species. Each board has a groove down the centre for the bodies of the insects to rest in, while the wings are s

ush to the trunks of trees a few minutes after sunset, will, on some evenings, attract large numbers of valuable species, but not infrequently it is quite unproductive. This mode of collecting has been termed "sugaring" by entomologists, and may be employed during the whole summer. The best

wool, packed very lightly. In this way a large number of moths may be carried a long distance with perfect safety, and the extremely inconvenient process of pinning them in the field obviated

he nature of the night, which should be dark and warm. I have occasionally tried taking a lamp into the forest to attract insects, but have not met with much success. In swampy and flat situations, no doubt, attracting by light would be very effective, especially if a powerful lamp was employed, in an expo

will require to be stuffed with cotton-wool before setting. A few of the largest species of the Lepidoptera must also be stuffed. For this purpose the specimens should be placed on their backs on a piece of clean glass so that none of the scales may be rubbed off. After the co

subject of rearing insects, which the entomologist will soon learn to regard a

h or rotten wood. The carnivorous species must, of course, be supplied with the animals on which they feed. Beetle larv? are often some years in attaining maturity. Many of the Hymeno

Most of the larv? feed on the leaves of different plants, and a

them here. I will therefore only give a short account of those which I have used myself, and have found so convenient that

s of two round pieces of wood, one about half an inch smaller than the other, the smaller one nailed exactly in the centre of the larger piece. These are made so that the cardboard cylinder fits accurately on the outside of the smaller piece of wood. The whole cage is then neatly covered with white paper inside and brown outside. A complete view of the interior can of course be obtained by looking in at the top, while the cages can be stowed away one within the other when not in use. A stone ink-bottle should be put on the floor of each cage and filled with water, into which a sprig of the food-plant can be introduced. Care must be taken to plug up the mouth of the bottle, so that the larvae may not crawl down the stem of the plant into the water and thus meet with an untimely end. This may readily be done by means of a cork with a hole bored in it for the stem to pass through, or a plug of moss or blotting-pape

rear an insect from the egg. When the young larv? first emerge they must be kept in a tumbler with a piece of glass put over the top, as they might escape through the ventilators

ent sized insects, but an inspection of any good collection will at once explain the general principles. Camphor should be pinned in the corner of each drawer or store-box, and the whole collection fumigated with carbolic acid, or equal parts of oil of thyme, oil of anise, and spirits of wine, every six months. These can be introduced in a wa

n the collection. This may be done by attaching to the pin underneath each insect a small numb

g different dates and localities. This system is very convenient when specimens are sent away to be identified by another entomologist, as, provided the collector always retains a single specimen of the species which he desires named, it obv

pleasure to the collector and those who succeed him, but very probably of