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Collecting Apparatus

The old-fashioned entomologist used to go out armed simply with a net, and pin his captures to the top or brim of his hat. Some of the modern entomologists go into the field laden down with all sorts of apparatus--a large haversack filled with boxes and bottles, two or three different kinds of nets, and with pockets bulging with hatchet, trowel, saw, forceps, knives and other small things. It is just as bad for an entomologist to go out laden down in this way as it is for soldiers to take long marches with unnecessary impedimenta. As a rule one should go out after one class of objects, prepared, however, to capture other interesting specimens, and he should take with him as prime necessities one net (and a proper sweeping net is the most useful), one or two cyanide bottles for killing specimens, a few small pill boxes and a few assorted vials containing dilute alcohol or formalin, and that is really all that is necessary, unless he is after aquatic insects or those which live in old logs or in trunks or branches of trees, in which case a water net or a hatchet will be necessary. Most collecting apparatus can be purchased from dealers in such things. The following firms issue price lists which may be had on application, viz: Queen & Co., Inc., 1010 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa.; A. Smith & Sons, 269 Pearl St., New York City; John Akhurst, 78 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, N. Y.; The Kny-Scheerer Co., 17 Park Place, New York City; American Entomological Co., 1040 DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Noyes Bros. and Cutler, 396 Sibley St., St. Paul, Minn.

The Net.--There are three main kinds of nets--the light butterfly net, the strong beating or sweeping net and the water net. The butterfly net, which is a very handy one for catching flies, dragon-flies, ant-lions, scorpion-flies and similar insects with more or less fragile wings, is made in a number of different ways and several excellent ones are for sale by dealers above mentioned. A fairly satisfactory one can be made at home in the following manner: Bend a strong piece of iron wire into circular shape, the ends being abruptly bent down at right angles so as to fit into two grooves cut in the end of a walking stick, to which they are permanently fastened by a copper wire. A pointed net of silk gauze, tarleton or swiss, a thin light quality being used, is then sewn around the wire frame which should previously be covered with some heavier cloth.

The Sweeping or Beating Net.--Very many insects feed or rest upon grasses and low plants, and the beating net, which is made on the same principle as the butterfly net, is a most useful instrument with which to collect these forms. It should have a strong frame and the cloth of which it is composed should be light in color and strong like cheese cloth. The beating net is not necessarily pointed but may be rounded at the bottom. The collector passes the net several times quickly over the low shrubbery or grass and then sits down to examine his captures and remove them to the cyanide bottle. The ring of the beating net should be especially strong, either of brass or iron and of one or two pieces and should be fastened rigidly to the handle either by means of a special device, by clamps, nuts and screws, or by copper wire as above mentioned. The reason for this special strength is that sometimes it is desirable to sweep tough bushes or the low branches of trees.

The Water Net.--The water net may be a simple sag net with a short handle, the frame being oblong and the net or bag being of some very coarse material like grass cloth or millinet. A sieve net with sides of galvanized iron and bottom of galvanized wire screen is desirable where one is scraping up mud and sand from the bottom of pools for the purpose of sifting out aquatic insects.

The Sieve.--A sieve with cloth sides is an excellent bit of apparatus for sifting out earth, moss, materials of ants nests, etc., the size of the wire meshes at the bottom being larger when it is desired to sift the fragments of old decayed trees and smaller when sifting ants nests and ordinary earth.

Chisel and Trowel.--A small stout chisel for securing insects which hide under the bark of dead or dying trees is a useful instrument. A stout pocket knife will sometimes do the work but something stronger and better adapted to the purpose is desirable. When one is studying underground insects a small trowel is a necessity.