Mode of publishing Stephens's " British Entomology'' 303 



Art. III. Remarh on the recent Mode of publishing the Numbers 

 of Stephens's '• Illustrations of British Entomology,'' By A. H. 

 Davis, F.L.S. 



Sir, 



The task of a public accuser is by no means an enviable 

 one ; and it is only by regarding it as a duty, that I have as 

 an original subscriber to Mr. Stephens's work, come forward 

 to expose the unexampled line of conduct pursued in its pub- 

 lication. I disclaim any personal feeling towards the author, 

 for whose efforts and talents as an entomologist I have high 

 respect : my observations in the present case relate only to 

 the publication of his work. 



On the first appearance of this periodical (on the 1st of 

 May, 1827), it was announced at 35. 6d. per number, and was 

 to be completed in sixteen years. It appeared regularly till 

 the conclusion of the first volumes of each sub-class; but 

 previously to commencing the second volumes, the price was 

 raised to 55., to enable the author to give a larger quantity of 

 letterpress, while the work was to be completed in 1 35 num- 

 bers, and in ten years.* ' . 



At this period commenced those irregularities in the pub- 

 lication which have produced so much mystification, as to 

 render it extremely difficult to arrive at any satisfactory con- 

 clusion as to the relative situation of the author and his sub- 

 scribers. A slight delay which occurred with Nos. xv. and 

 xvi. was attempted to be atoned for by another pledge (being 

 the third alteration) to complete the work in 120 numbers. 

 Owing to these irregularities, the second volumes were not 

 completed until the 1st of July, 1829, instead of the 1st of 

 May ; and on the wrapper of No. xxviii., which appeared on 

 that day, a farther proposal was announced : it was this — to 

 reduce the coloured figures, and increase the letterpress ; a 

 promise was given that each number should contain alter- 

 nately a plate with six figures, and thirty-two pages of 

 letterpress, and a plate with three figures, and sixty-four 

 pages : the advantage to be derived being the completion of 

 the work in 87 numbers instead of 135, and the cessation of 

 the author's labours in five years ; and the cost, at least, two 

 thirds less than originally proposed, f His renewed engage- 



* How this was to be accomplished was not so evident. Mr. Stephens 

 proposed to describe all known British species, amounting, according to his 

 own catalogue, to above 10,000. He professed to describe 800 annually: 

 now, 800 X 10 gives only 8000, leaving 2000 species undescribed, without 

 allowing for new discoveries, which he elsewhere estimates at one tenth. 



f The fallacy of all this would admit of exposure. Four years have now 

 been consumed, and the author has described less than 2500 species : at 

 the same rate of proceeding, sixteen years will be required to describe 

 10,000. 



