some live in toad-stools. Blister flies are soft-bodied insects, found on potato tops, flowers of golden rod, &c. The Curculionida, snout beetles, or weevils, infest grain, seeds, or fruits, and many species live in wood, under bark, or in plants and flowers. The Longicornes, in the larval state, are wood borers. These beetles, which are among the largest of the order, can be collected in great numbers in spring, around saw-mills, lumber yards, wood-piles, and in forests; many species frequent flowers in summer. Flea beetles, Chrysomelida, live in all their stages upon the leaves of plants. The Coccinellida, (lady-birds,) which are nearly all beneficial, are useful in destroying plant lice.

ORTHOPTERA.

Cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, &c., are provided with jaws; the upper wings are thick and opaque, while the large under ones are netveined, and fold like a fan. The transformations are partial, the larvæ and pupa resembling the perfect insect, but wanting wings.

Orthoptera when collected can be thrown into alcohol, and there allowed to remain until it is convenient to set them, though a better way is to kill them with benzine or ether, and place immediately in the collecting box. To save trouble of pinning in the field, grasshoppers may be put in a little box, each insect wrapped in a piece of soft paper two or three inches square, to prevent injury, first treating it to a generous dose of benzine, which for convenience should be carried in a small vial having a brush fastened inside to the cork. Grasshoppers very soon lose their color when placed in alcohol; the delicate under wings, which in many species are bright colored, become brown and soiled. If treated with benzine, and immediately pinned and placed in the collecting box, they are also liable to injury by "coming to life and kicking their legs off," as collectors are accustomed to say. "They should be pinned through a little triangular spot between the bases of the fore wings. They are also often pinned through the prothorax, or through the right elytron, as in coleoptera." It is well to set several individuals of a species with the wings spread as in flight; some collectors prefer the wings set only on one side, leaving the other side to show the insect at rest.

The insects belonging to this order are nearly all injurious to vegetation. Cockroaches feed upon a variety of substances in houses, &c., and the Mantes or "rear-horses" prey upon other insects. Earwigs, Forficulida, are nocturnal insects, found hiding by day in the leaves of flowers; they may be taken with the net just before sunset, when they are most active. Many cockroaches, Blattarida, are found under stones, sticks, bark of decaying trees, and in damp situations. The field species are smaller than those commonly found in houses. The walking sticks, Phasmida, live upon the tender leaves and shoots of shrubbery and trees, and very much resemble dry twigs. Crickets, Gryllides, are found during the greater part of the year under logs, stones, and in sheltered places, such as old stone walls. The mole cricket, Gryllotalpa, burrows in subterranean galleries which it forms in meadows and swamp lands. Katydids represent a family of broad-winged grasshoppers, the Locustaria, nearly all of which are green in color. They are found on the leaves of trees and shrubbery early in autumn, and may be collected by beating. Grasshoppers, Acrydii, are common everywhere during the summer months and until late in the fall. They are found most numerous in meadows and fields, on heaths and barren rocky hills, and a few are found upon bare sandy places, ncar streams. As many are swift of flight, the net should be used in their capture.

NEUROPTERA.

Dragon flies, lace-wing flies, May-flies, white ants, &c., are insects with jaws, having four broad net-veined wings, the second pair generally being the largest. The transformations are incomplete, larvæ and pupa active. The species are nearly all aquatic.

The insects of this order are very predatory, and are consequently beneficial, living upon other insects in the larval and perfect stage of their existence. The habits of aquatic larvæ may be watched in the aquarium, though the more powerful should be kept from the weaker ones. In this way, with care, many additions can be made to the cabinet, altogether forming an interesting as well as a profitable study. During the warm weather white ants are found in great numbers in rotten wood, or in rails and fence posts, and under stones. As they are very delicate, they should be pinned at once. Caddice flies, Phryganeida, in the larval state inhabit cylindrical cases made of sticks, sand, &c., living in the water, and feeding upon plants and small aquatic insects. The perfect insects are usually found flying near the pools in which they have passed their first stages, and should be pinned as soon as taken in the net. The larvae of ant-lions live in cone-shaped pits in the sand, near which situations the perfect insects may be found. They are also found flying near woods. Lace-winged flies are found upon plants and shrubbery; and, as they are attracted to light, sometimes in the evening fly into houses. The Libellulidæ, "Devil's darning needles," dragon flies, &c., may be seen in warm summer days flying around pools of water, hawking for other insects. As their rapid flight makes them difficult to capture, they are most easily taken by throwing the net over them when settled. Dragon flies should be caught with the net and killed by brushing with benzine, the larger kinds placed in triangular slips of paper or old envelope corners, while the more delicate species should be pinned and put in the collecting box. They are most numerous near pools and marshes, and in damp places generally, and are attracted to fire or bright light at night. Agrionida are the small, delicate, brilliantly colored species seen hovering over plants near brooks, ditches, or in meadows, suspending themselves, apparently motionless, then suddenly alighting; they should be pinned in the collecting box as soon as taken. Ephemera, or May-flies, are most numerous in the evening. Thysanura is a wingless species, found in manure heaps, among fallen leaves, under sticks, stones, bark of trees, and in damp places. Lepisma, also wingless, is found in old books, in which it hides during the day.

HYMENOPTERA.

Bees, wasps, ants, &c., are hard-bodied insects, with four narrow membranous wings, of which the hinder ones are the smaller, and a hard ovipositor or sting at the extremity of the body. The transformations are complete. The larvae are footless grubs, though a few resemble caterpillars. Pupa have true wings and legs free.

In collecting hymenoptera the student should be provided with the usual net and collecting box, two or three wide-mouthed bottles of alcohol, and boxes of different sizes for nests. After capturing an insect it should be stupefied with benzine, then pinned and placed in the collecting box, or thrown into alcohol. Nests should be searched for, that their young may be reared and their habits studiously observed, especially the saw-flies, gall-flies, &c. They may be found adhering to

roofs of buildings, or fastened to the branches of trees; bumble-bees' nests are found under ground, in pastures or in old stumps. The nests of the gall-flies are the hollow swellings or excrescences seen upon the leaves and stalks of plants. When ants' nests are found, the males and females should be secured. Nests with but one opening can be easily stopped up, and nest and contents secured together; though, when separated to be placed in the collection, the same numbers should be given to both, as it is important to know the architect of each. Specimens should be pinned directly through the center of the thorax; and, where it is desirable to expand the wings, the same directions should be followed as given for setting lepidoptera. The sucking tube, or tongue, when present, should be pushed forward, that it may be easily examined. It is also well to set the legs and antennæ in a natural position. Duplicate specimens should be preserved in vials of alcohol, with the catalogue number written in ink upon parchment labels, as it is often necessary, in determining species, to examine the different parts of the body.

Many of the hymenoptera are to be found upon flowers. Carpenter bees drill holes in wood of fence posts, &c., in which their eggs are deposited in masses of pollen. The mason bee constructs clay tubes several inches in length, with from three to eight cells, laying a single egg in each. Others make their nests in sand banks, or in hidden cavities in logs, &c. Many of the social wasps may be taken in their papery nests, found pendant from the eaves of buildings or from branches of trees, while the solitary wasps, which build nests of sand, storing them with caterpillars, spiders, and other insects, are found in various situations. The wood-wasps are of moderate size, and are often seen resting on leaves in the sunshine. The several families of sand-wasps, mud-daubers, &c., build their nests in the earth, or form clay cells, such as are frequently observed adhering to the rafters of barns or in other sheltered places. The industrious little ants belong to this order; there are some which excavate galleries in stumps, though most of the species burrow in the ground. The Chalcis flies are beautiful green or metallic-colored insects, and may be collected, during summer, upon flowers. The Ichneumon flies, which are parasitical, tenanting and foraging on other insects, are most common in summer upon umbelliferous flowers. Many of the smaller species confine their attacks to the eggs of other insects. Gall-flies produce the swellings often seen upon leaves or stalks of plants, which when opened are found to contain one fleshy footless grub. The boring saw-flies, a family of rather rare hymenoptera, pass their lives as borers in the trunks of trees. The species, few in number, fly in the latter part of summer, and make a buzzing noise. Saw-flies very closely resemble lepidoptera, especially in the larval state, and, being leaf-eaters, they have been termed false caterpillars. The perfect insects also fly in summer.

LEPIDOPTERA.

Butterflies and moths-Insects without jaws, having the maxiliæ prolonged into a spiral sucking tube, the wings broad and covered with dust-like scales. The transformations are complete. The larvæ are provided with six true legs, and from one pair to five of false or pro-legs. The pupa is generally inclosed in a cocoon, (except butterflies,) and has the legs and wings soldered to the breast.

This order has been divided into three groups, called diurnal, crepus cular, and nocturnal lepidoptera, or butterflies, sphinges, and moths.

Butterflies are distinguished from moths by having the antenna knobbed or thickened at the end; while the antennæ of hawk-moths are thickened in the middle, those of moths are either simple or feathered. As these are the most delicate of all insects they should be carefully handled, to avoid injuring the specimen by rubbing the dust or scales from the wings. They are most easily captured with a gauze net, after which they may be killed with benzine or ether, or by slightly pinching the thorax, taking care to have the wings folded together over the back, then pinned and placed in the collecting box.

Fig. 6.

In making a net the ring or frame should be from twelve to eighteen inches in diameter, of heavy brass wire, secured to the socket which receives the rod, and bound with coarse cotton cloth; to this a bag made of Swiss muslin or silk gauze is sewed. In the annexed cut the best shape is given. The rod should be at least five feet long, and not too heavy to use with one hand. When the collecting box is full, or when large specimens are obtained, it is best to make use of triangular paper envelopes, or better, old envelope corners of sufficient size, in which the specimens are placed in the position shown by Figure 7; the edge is then folded over, and the whole slipped into the pocket of the collecting box. Butterflies are most abundant by roadsides, in fields and meadows, and a few species in woods. Sphinges fly just at dusk, and may be taken in the vicinity of flower beds. On warm summer evenings, with a bright light and open windows, many species of night-flying moths may be taken. A slight tap on the thorax with a ruler is sufficient to kill them. City collectors may make valuable additions to their cabinets by visiting, at different hours of the night, the street lamps. Not only are many comparatively, rare moths taken in this way, but a variety of other insects, especially beetles. An excellent method for out-door collecting is to spread a sheet where there are trees, placing in the center a bull's-eye lantern; the light will attract the specimens, which are more easily seen by means of the sheet, and are then taken in the net. Some collectors have used a mixture of rum, sugar, and molasses, of the consistency of treacle, as a means of attracting night-flying moths; and it is said the bait may be used from March to October with success. "The mixture is taken to the woods, and put upon the trunks of trees in patches or stripes just at dusk. Before it is dark some moths arrive, and a succession of comers continues all night through. The collector goes, soon after dark, with a bull's-eye lantern, a ring net, and a lot of large pill boxes. He turns his light full on the wetted place, at the same time placing his net underneath it in order to catch any moth that may fall. The best nights are those which are warm, dark, and wet."

Fig. 7.

For collecting very small moths, in excursions, a wide-mouthed bottle is necessary, in the bottom of which a piece of cotton, saturated with benzine, has been placed, covered with a little dry cotton, to prevent the wings from becoming soiled. When a capture has been made, insert the bottle, open-mouthed, into the folds of the net; in this the moth will fly for escape; then, by placing the hand over the opening of the bottle, it can be withdrawn, and the insect placed in the collecting box as soon

as overcome by the fumes of benzine. Clemens gives the following direc tions for the same: After taking the moth in the net, "by elevating the hand through the ring, or on a level with it, a common cupping glass of about two inches in diameter, or a wine-glass carried in the pocket, is placed on the top of the left hand over the constricted portion, the grasp relaxed, and the insect permitted to escape through the opening into its interior; the glass is then closed below by the left hand on the outside of the net, and may be transferred to the top of the collecting box, when it can be quieted with chloroform."

In setting a butterfly or a moth, insert the pin into the thorax, holding the insect between the left thumb and fore finger, with the wings partly folded back, and gently push it through, leaving about three-eighths of an inch to hold it by; then place in the setting board, being careful to have the pin perfectly upright in the cork; draw the wings forward into a natural position, and secure each with a small pin near the body; then cover with card or thin pieces of glass, though in the second board, described below, thread is used, wound many times around the block, which can then be set on edge in any out of the way place. When glass is used, a slight jar may injure a whole board of insects; for this reason it is not as good a plan as the thread arrangement. In the accompanying sketches two styles of setting boards are given. The

Fig. 8.

first is made by fastening two strips of wood, about a foot in length and an inch and a half in width, to two uprights of the same height, leaving an open space of half an inch between; thin strips of cork are glued on underneath, through which the pins are thrust. This size will do for ordinary use, but for very large or very small moths other sizes are required. For the second we are indebted to Mr. Cresson, of Philadelphia. It is

Fig. 9.

the size of the pin used.

center.

merely a block of wood three inches square and one inch thick, with an upper groove half an inch wide for the body of the insect, and a lower one about the same width to receive a strip of sheet cork; before putting in the cork, however, several holes should be made along the center of the groove, just large enough for Both boards are slightly sloping toward the