--(Do the
moths fly high to the light?)--but I once had a grand capture of many
specimens of the "sword-grass" (C. exoleta) on a bright moonlight and
very windy night in February; and Dr. Knaggs says that on one occasion
he met with night-flying moths literally swarming on a sugared fence
in a field once in his possession, whither, in the small hours, he had
taken a stroll with a friend on the brightest moonlight morning it was
ever his lot to behold.

Many nights which appear the most favourable will, on the contrary, be
unaccountably disappointing; not a single moth will make its
appearance. The presence of ground-fog, "honeydew," more attractive
flowers, or a coming change of wind or temperature (nothing caring to
stir in an east, north, or northeast wind) will sometimes account for
this.

"Showers, rain, thunderstorms, provided they are accompanied by
warmth, are," says Dr. Knaggs, "very favourable, and the catch during
these conditions of the atmosphere will generally repay the
inconvenience of a wet jacket. On one terrible night, when the
lightning was perfectly terrific, almost blinding even, though my
companion's eyes and mine were kept upon our work, an incredible
profusion of moths of various kinds were hustling one another for a
seat at the festive board, and continued thus to employ themselves
until a deluge of rain swept both sweets and moths away from their
positions. On another stormy night, I well remember having counted no
less than a hundred and fifty moths of several sorts and sizes
struggling for the possession of two small patches of sugar. Perhaps
the best condition of the air may be described as cloudy overhead, but
clear and free from ground-fog near the earth; and when this state of
things has been preceded by sultry weather, and a steady west, south,
or south-west wind is blowing at the time, the collector need not fear
the result, for he can hardly fail to be successful."

July is usually one of the very best months for sugaring, and, if
warm, what can be more charming than to select a fine night at this
season of the year and to spend it in the woods?

Just before dusk get your sugar painted on the trees, at about the
height of your chest, in long narrow strips, taking care not to let
any fall at the foot of the tree or amongst the adjacent bushes
(though I have sometimes done very well by sugaring low down near the
foot of the tree). Just as the nightjars and bats begin to fly you
will