Morris tribune., 1882-08-31
Collecting Butterflies and Moths.

| In the first Place, what is the difference be-
! tween a butterfly and moth? 'tMoths,'' You
say, ARE little gray millers that fly around
lamps and get burned, and butterflies have
| beautiful wings and are big"
| My dear children, some moths are larger
| than any butterfly that you ever saw, and their
wings are as beautiful and more delicate than
| butterflies.
The reason that you do not see them oftener
is that they like to fly when you are asleep.
| Sometimes you can find one of them i'll the
| daytime, but almost always, if you wish to
catch them, you must watch at twilight or set
| trap.
ga trap-doesn't it break their pretty
| wings?"
Not at all If you try to catch moths, set
| little lantern out doors near cup of molasses
not sirup, but strong-smelling moasses-
| and watch for moths some summer evening, if
your mother will let you 81. up till o'clock as
great treat
| molasses. Then have your net ready for them.
ssBut where are we to get the metz"
| Make it by all means. If you buy one, you
| will have to pay from 81 to So for the frame.
| Some boys aud girls fasten wire to an Old
! umbrella handle for their butterfly net
| That is good, but you can make one still
more easily, and can get another just like it
when it is worn out
First, cut long willow twig, and bend one
| end into a circle about foot wide. Fasten it
WIFI u SGOuE pf6C6 OIL tWlu6, anu tueQ II you are
! good at sewing, make bag of white mosquito
netting and fasten it around the bent part of
| the willow twig.
| Then, when you see q butterfly or moth
| steal softly up to him, put the net over him,
| and give it twist 80 that he can not fl v
away
You must not be 6isappo inted, and pout, and
say that there is no fun in catching butterflies
| and you will never try to get one again, even if
| you lose three or four just when you think
| that you have them.
Keep on trying. and in week or two
| you will have the beginning of a good col
| lection.
'.But what shall we do with our butterflies
and moths after we have caught them?"
Something that seems cruel, but is not, for
insects cannot feel pain as we can Squeeze
| their bodies, not their wings. near the head,
between your thumb and foreinger, while you
count hundred.
If you touch their wings you will find your
| fingers all covered with dust, that is really
| little scales.
When you are older you will learn how to
give your insects drop of ether, that will
put them to sleep Perhaps your older brother
or sister will use it for you, but you must not
handle it for year or two vet
After the butterfly Is dead, carefully put a
pin through his body and then into a cork, and
spread out his wings with little strips of card
fastened by pins to the board on which he is
laid.
II you pun tne Plus through tne cara just
outside the wings, and then lay the other end
of the card upon them. you can spread them
very well
You may catch large moth in the evening,
and if you look at him and the butterfly to-
gether, you will see that they are different
In the first place their bodies are unlike.
Which is larger than the other?
Then the wings are different in shape.
Which is the longer hind wing?
The feelers, too, are different Which in
scots have knobs on the ends, and which have
branches ON both sides9
Another way of collecting insects is by put
| ting caterpillars and the leaves on which you
find them into q box, with netting over the
| top. and letting them spin cocoons, or grow
| hard and dry and seem dead.
Sometimes you can find cocoons, ora long,
hard word-chrysalides, on bushes and trees
| and fences.
You will soon learn to know them and keep
them till butterflies and moths come out Of
them
If you can get book called the Butterfly
Hunters, You will learn great deal about the
moths and butterflies that you see.
You will need nice pasteboard box for
| thoee that you catch.