HISTORIAN OF TINEINA. 65 piston beside its own body;" the simple fact being that the caterpillar in question spins down its case a little firmer than its fellows, though by the same means, and without in any way imitating the action of the air-pump. It is due to the historian of the Tineina, before passing away from his protégés, that we should make mention of his eminent services to the cause of entomology. No one living has laboured more arduously than Mr. Stainton on behalf of the science he loves so well; and though, as we have before intimated, the new edition of the "Introduction to Entomology" has greatly contributed to the present increased popularity of entomological studies, it is in a great measure to Mr. Stainton's previous exertions that the republication of that work is due. In his capacity of editor of both "Annual" and "Intelligencer," Mr. Stainton is exert ing a wide-spread and powerful influence over the rising race of entomologists; and though it is very probable he may have amongst his readers many more mere collectors than earnest students of insect economy, it will not be his fault if, with repeated wise counsels and intelligent advice, they do not all become entomologists worthy of the name. One thing which greatly pleases us in Mr. Stainton is, that, while he can be precise and technical when occasion requires, he has yet the knack of infusing a genial pleasantry into all his writings, and with a keen relish for the beauties of nature himself, contrives very happily to set them forth for the benefit of his readers. In the little volume, "June," most appropriately called "A Book for the Country in Summer Time," there are many passages which bear out what we have said; and that our readers may judge for themselves, we will insert here a little word-picture from another source, which, though meant for children, has about it a charm that older people will admire. It is one of the passages from the "Educational Sheet of Butterflies" which should find a place in every schoolroom and nursery: "It is the summer-time, the pleasant, happy summer-time. The lattice cottage-window stands open; the caged thrush sings merrily on the outside, half concealed by the bower of roses and honeysuckle. The good wife comes to the door, to see if her husband is yet returning for his mid-day meal. She glances round the garden, and spies, sitting on a marigold, a butterfly, F 66 THE BUTTERFLY BATTLE. gorgeous with all the colours of the rainbow-in short, a peacock butterfly. "Just then John puts his hand upon the gate. Oh, John, such a beautiful butterfly !'—'Where?' says John.-'There,' says Jane, pointing to the marigold, on which something like a leaf of a dull brown-black colour was sitting.-Call that beautiful?' said John; and he lifted up a stone to throw at it.—' Yes, John; see, see!' and as she spoke it opened it wings, and again displayed its glories. It walked across the flower, turning round the while.—' It is beautiful,' said John; and he let the stone drop, half ashamed. They both stood watching the butterfly for some minutes, and saw it unfold its long spiral tongue to suck the honey from the flower. 66 Presently another butterfly, much smaller, came to the very flower on which the peacock was sitting. The peacock rose to repel the intruder; but the new-comer, which was a small copper, and not a fourth of the size of the original occupier of the flower, was not to be easily intimidated, and fiercely gave battle. Eh! there's pluck for you,' said John.- True,' said Jane; 'I wonder at the impudence of the little creature.' But the battle was ended; the peacock had gone into a neighbour's garden; and the small copper returned in triumph to the marigold, and displayed its splendid livery of burnished copper, now seen in all its glory, as the sun shone brightly from behind a cloud. John took more notice of butterflies after that day." A small matter, reader, truly; but is there not a glow of sunshine upon it? The Small Copper and the Peacock, however, beautiful as they are, belong to the commonalty of the butterfly tribe, and may be had almost everywhere, and without much trouble. It is just the same with some others that are equally pretty, as, for example, the Common Blue, and the dainty Orange Tip, not to forget the showy Alderman or Red Admiral, which, in their favourite haunts, may be found in abundance throughout the country. Not so is it, however, with others of the number; and great is the flutter amongst the green gauze nets when the season approaches for any of the rarities to appear. The reader may judge of the excitement that obtains amongst collectors when anything particularly "good" is to be had, by the following announcement, taken just as it stands, from one of the numbers of the "Intelligencer:" TRAPPING AN EMPEROR. 67 "LATEST INTELLIGENCE. "Colias Hyale and Edusa have both just been captured near Bognor. Further particulars in our next." Further particulars in our next! One could almost fancy it was the first intimation of some fearful railway accident; and it certainly does look like being "serious upon trifles." Still, the Clouded Yellows are fine butterflies, and those who know them, and how difficult they are in some years to obtain, will not be surprised at a little enthusiasm. One of the greatest prizes amongst our native butterflies is Apatura Iris, which occurs in the woods of the south. This is the insect of which Crabbe sings "Above the sovereign oak a sovereign skims, and, unfortunately for the collector, it is high up above the oaks and quite out of reach that the Emperor is most frequently seen. Like some other imperial personages, however, Iris is said to have a gross appetite, and has at times been captured while feasting on garbage by the side of muddy pools; and a case is recorded in which a collector captured no less than eighty of these insects, within a few days, by the simple expedient of nailing against the side of a house, in a wood where they occur, a bit of rabbit-skin and the wing of a bird! One would hardly have thought that such a commonplace device would have so gone to the heart of an emperor. In collecting Butterflies, the course is easy enough, the collector having the daylight in his favour. But how shall he obtain the Moths, which, for the most part, fly only at night? Well, in the first place, he can collect the caterpillars, or dig for the pupa, which he can do by daylight, and then rear his specimens, and so obtain them in a much finer condition than any he can get by other means. But the Moths themselves may readily be captured. The ingenuity of collectors has not only overcome the difficulty which the nocturnal habits of most of the tribe interposed, but has rendered it even easier to obtain the night-fliers than those that flit about by day. The first and principal device employed is that of "sugaring." The collector, armed with a mixture of sugar and beer, goes to the woods or 68 SUGARING AND LIGHT. lanes, or stays at home in his own garden, and as the dusk draws on, spreads the tempting mixture in broad patches on posts, and palings, and the trunks of trees; and, before long, lo! the sweet aroma has reached the keen sense of the Moth community, who come forth from their secret hiding-places, and flock in troops to the spread-out banquet. But alcohol is alcohol, even to Moths; and when, after a while, the collector goes his round with his bull's-eye lantern, the bon-vivants who have been lured so easily to suck his sweets are boxed without resistance. The revolution that has been wrought in our collections since this mode of capture came into use, has been extraordinary. Insects which were before accounted rare, are taken in abundance; and new species have been added to our list, which the cunningest collectors before had failed to capture. But there is one tribe of Moths, containing some of our largest and most beautiful species, for which the sugared post has no attractions. They practise the most rigid total abstinence, and are never once to be seen amongst the alcoholic revellers. But the collector knows them, and their weak points too. For them he has the open window, and the lamp upon the table. Light now does what sugar failed to do before; and the collector will sometimes have a levee, in which fresh comers continue to arrive the whole night long. The largest of our native Lepidoptera, the great Death's Head Hawk-Moth (Acherontia atropos), is sometimes taken in this manner, and occasionally pays an unwelcome visit to houses, where his huge form and his ominous squeal spread terror amongst the inmates. In some places the street gas-lamps attract a considerable number of Moths; and one of Mr. Stainton's correspondents has lately been expatiating on the advantages to be gained from "making friends with the lamplighter." Another method employed by collectors-a method which sometimes does what neither sugar nor light can accomplishshall be given in the words of Mr. Douglas :-" In May the Foxmoth careers madly over the fields-now close to you, now out of sight; yet there is 'method in his madness ;' he is fiercely in love, and is in search of his bride, who rests passively expecting his attentions, and good-naturedly or pettishly waiting till her lover's vagaries are over, Observe the spot he most affects, and by looking carefully, you will probably see his lady-love deep among the heather, or ascending the stems; then station yourself |