S-1141001_COMPLETO.pdf

APHORISMATA ENTOMOLOGICA. 7
more of them, is, or are also to be made of tin; and if lacquered or
japanned, their appearance will be rather more neat. They are to be
made of small size, say four inches long by three wide, and about three
quarters of an inch in depth. Fill them with small pill boxes, each
with the lid perforated with a number of pin-holes to admit the air,
and the fumes of sulphur when applied, as about to be explained.
Instead of putting any minute moths you may catch into the pocket
box, put one into each pill box, enclosing them by holding the box
with the lid off, against the part of the net where you have confined
them for the purpose, and then, "stealing a march" upon them, putting
the lid on again: all this a little practice will explain. Thus you have
not touched them at all; and on your arrival at home, or wherever
you want to set them, pile the pill boxes under a tumbler near the
edge of a table, only do not let it be your best one; light two or
three brimstone matches; draw part of the glass over the edge of the
table; hold the matches underneath, so that the fumes of the brimstone
can ascend into the glass, taking care not to touch the glass with the
light, or it will be cracked; and as soon as you see, or rather when
you can see nothing in the glass for the smoke, replace it entirely on
the table, to confine the vapour, and in a few seconds all the moths
will be apparently dead, and by leaving them there for a little while they
will become entirely so. Then is the time to set them, and to set them
well, uninjured in the smallest degree by the touch of your hand.
These pill boxes will often be found very useful for bringing home
the smaller caterpillars in; and for the larger ones, any small boxes
will do. I have found the round-turned lucifer match-boxes to answer
admirably for this or any other kindred purpose. But it is getting on
towards midnight, and I must for the present conclude.
"A TRAP TO CATCH A MOONBEAM."
ANOTHER mode of capturing moths—'unde a quo abi redeo'—is by
means of a light—to which, in the dusk of the evening, they are
attracted. I proceed to give tAvo or three different methods of procedure.
One plan, of primitive simplicity, and which was adopted by us at
school, was to place a candle near an open windoAv; tie a long string
to the handle of the frame—they were old-fashioned lattice ones—get
comfortably into bed, and when a moth made his 'entree,' pull the
window instantly to, thus securing him within.