S60 Natural Histoyy in the English Counties : — 



no painter could represent. Our dear N. felt this, atid re- 

 gretted the impossibility of preserving any adequate repre- 

 sentation of what he declared to be the most striking and 

 beautiful incident he had ever the good fortune to behold. I 

 thought of the story in Musaeus's Tales (a fiction known to 

 the Arabians as well as the Germans) ; and had they been 

 swans, instead of geese, could almost have fancied they were 

 fairies in that form, and have looked about for a veil." 

 {SoutJie7/s Sir Thomas More, vol. i. p. 146.) 



Notes on Animals about Whitehaven, — It is several years ago, 

 since, as an amusement, I commenced butterfly-catching; but, 

 in respect of science, I am still a mere tyro, and probably 

 may always remain such, owing to the difficulties of arriving 

 at a knowledge of classification and nomenclature ; both of 

 which appear to me to have been so often modelled and 

 re-modelled, as to present to the incipient entomologist an 

 almost insurmountable obstacle to his progress at the very 

 outset of his career. These difficulties are artificial, and have 

 been much increased by the multiplying of systems, which are, 

 it seems, quite the rage with entomologists, who, instead of 

 smoothing the way, and in order to get a name, create a sys- 

 tem of their own, differing from all others, and consequently 

 leading to confusion. Thus the commonest insect has, per- 

 haps, a dozen names, and as many ways of ascertaining its 

 species and genus. When I see it, I know what it is ; but 

 when I would know what its scientific denomination is, I am 

 completely puzzled, and so, I dare say, are many besides 

 myself, and for the same reason. 



If entomology is ever to be made a popular study, it must 

 be simplified, and one uniform system adopted ; for no one 

 will be at the trouble of acquiring the scientific knowledge of 

 it, when, from the difficulties surrounding it, the overcoming 

 of them turns recreation into toil, and toil, too, that, unless it 

 produces pleasure, is of no use. 



As it is, I am desirous of improvement, and with that view 

 I keep what I call my entomological journal, in which I enter a 

 note of whatever I see and what I observe of the habits of insects 

 and animals, together with the scientific names when I can 

 make them out. Having derived great benefit from similar 

 kinds of notes in your excellent publication, my observations, 

 such as they are, may have th^ir use to others, and, if you 

 deem them of any, you will oblige me by giving insertion to 

 them in your Magazine. I commence with the first of last 

 month. 



April 1. 1832. The day was cold, but with occasional 

 gleams of sunshine. For some days before, there had been 



