The treasury of natural history, or, A popular dictionary of zoology / by Samuel Maunder.

  • Maunder, Samuel, 1785-1849.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The treasury of natural history, or, A popular dictionary of zoology / by Samuel Maunder. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    815/856 (page 793)
    3 J?tiIIaI>u3 of 331 ther; they delight in warmth ; and the close heavy atmosphere which precedes a thunderstorm is peculiarly grateful. There are a few moths which fly by day ; most of them fly at an early hour in the night, and again before sunrise. Many a rare beetle of darkling habits will reward the wakeful collector, who will sweep in likely places, putting the contents of his net into a good-sized bag tied at the mouth : this period, then, is the collector’s harvest. Au- tumn likewise has its rarities, especially amongst the moths, and certain lively tribes of two-winged flies of parasitical habits ; but with the advancing season many an old familiar form disappears, and in the languid movements of others, which were once the very types of animal enjoyment, the ap- proach of stem winter is no less certainly foretold, than by the fading and falling leaf. He is a sorry collector indeed who cannot make the most of every opportunity for adding to his stores that may occur ; to knock down *in insect with his hat or pocket- handkerchief, to seize and transfix it before it recovers from the shock, and then to pin I it into the crown of his hat; to form a paper t twist for a second, and a box made from the hollow stem of some of the hemlock tribe, with a paper stopper for a third : but a phial containing some bruised leaves and crumpled blotting paper, a collecting quill or two, and a few small pill-boxes, fitting the one within the other, should constitute part of the daily equipment of every collector. He will make most progress if he confines his attention to a particular order throughout the season, or during a part only of a season : he should also choose a favourite locality where in- sects abound, for every day will probably bring some new species to light ; but a‘t the same time, he should ever be ready to capture a rare insect belonging to other than his favourite order, whilst by so doing he may confer a boon to science and gain a friend in need by a timely and acceptable gift. Peculiar Methods of collecting In- sects. Coleopteka. (Beetles.) — A white sheet spread on the grass will attract many species ; others may be captured on walls and wall tops, and other localities already men- tioned: the collector pushes/the sweeping net before him amongst the grass, or strikes it from side to side, and up amongst thcbranchcs of trees ; or these may be violently shaken, or beaten over a piece of cotton cloth spread below,or an open umbrella lined with cotton cloth,or the little net itself. The tin forceps are useful for seizing insects in crevices, or amongst a tangled mass of leaves and flowers in the bottom of the net : the largest sized beetles are put into spirits: the smaller ones, and especially the most brilliantly coloured species, into the collecting bottle. Okthoptf.ra. (Home, anti Field Cricket*, fyc.) — Collected by the hand, or in the sweep-net, and popped into the eollectinu bottle. b Neup.optera. (Dragon-flies, May-flics, $C')—They are most easily captured (luring actual Cavttfcrmg. ~93 dull cloudy weather, or at a late or early hoar ; they are transfixed in the centre be- tween the fore wings by a pin, and placed in the collecting box, near the bruised laurel leaves, and the wings of Dragon-flies con- fined by braces : the latter are very tena- cious of life ; the May-flies die very speedily. I Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps, <£c.) and Diptera, or two-winged flies, are struck at with the gauze net, and secured by giving it ' a pecular twist; the captured insect is then j placed on the collector’s knee, aud confined by tightening the net over head, and held in | that position between the fore finger and thumb of the left hand ; a pin is drawn with the right, and the insect is transfixed in the thorax, and in the centre between the j wings: the pin is seized by the point, the head is easily worked clear of the net, the j insect is then pressed in the breast with the | thumb-nail under the wing, and then placed in the collecting box. Hemiptera {Aphides or Plant-lice, Water boatmen, and Water clearers) arc taken by the hand or by sweeping. The aquatic species may be taken with the net in almost every brook and pond : according to their , size they are either transfixed by a pin or ! placed in a bottle of spirits, or in the collect- ing bottle. Lepidoptera. (Butterflies and Moths.)— i The former have a chosen locality ; hence their capture is in some respects pretty easy. ] They may be sometimes induced to stoop from their flight, and settle near a stone I which has been thrown into the air before them. They are taken with the bag-net, ! seized by the thorax or breast, which is violently pressed between the finger and thumb, so as to stupify the insect; it is then lifted by the antennas or feelers, laid on the palm of the hand, and transfixed with a pin. Practice will make the collector expert in handling the insects of this order, so as not to injure the delicate scales with which the wings are clothed. For moths, which are a very “ peculiar people, he must resort to various flowers by night, especially those of the sallow, ivy, and, above all, the honeysuckle, in their season ; also to those of the French marigold, fuschia, lo- belia, pansy, jessamine, and misletoe ; and, amongst wild flowers, to the white bladder- wort, and the common bag reed, in autumn: some species are exceedingly fond of the juice of the berries of the yew-tree. Goto your hunting-ground just before the bat comes forth ; kneel down near the flowers, having your face turned towards that quarter j of the sky whence there is most light, and with poised net, and eye and car attuned, await their coming. Having caught one, ! gather up your net around your captive : I take a pill-box from your right pocket, and placing the lid between your lips, carry the j box carefully past your left hand, holding ' the bag, and pluce it over the insect ; con- I fining the latter by pressing the box against | the gauze till the lid is fixed, by slowlv withdrawing the net from between the li'd I