OF WASHINGTON. 69 



tages. Most students keep material for an unconscionably long 

 period during which the museum drawers are conspicuous by 

 their emptiness. It is then subjected to the danger of damage or 

 loss in transit, besides various vicissitudes while in the hands of 

 the student, not to mention the occasional risk of unfair treatment 

 at the hands of an overtrusted and presumably honest correspon 

 dent. 



But the collection of Lepidoptera was never in so unfortunate 

 a condition as this, and its future at present seems most promising. 



To consider the present condition of the collection in somewhat 

 more detail, it at once appears that the number of specimens now 

 present, approximately 121,000, exclusive of alcoholic material, 

 pupae, eggs, etc., is not as much as would be expected from the 

 figures quoted above. I have given 121,000 as the probable total 

 in 1894, and since that date we have received over 50,000 speci 

 mens in four of the largest accessions, besides many smaller ones. 

 What has become of them ? 



In the first place, the 121,000 of 1894 included alcoholic larvae, 

 as I suppose. Of these we have a great mass, as above stated, 

 but probably not 50,000 ; 5,000 might be a conservative estimate. 

 Secondly, the former estimates are probably grossly overstated.* 



I learn that no actual count was made, but that the yearly acces 

 sions, as shown by the books, were added to the last year's esti 

 mate for that of the following year. This method is not even 

 theoretically correct, as it makes no account of exchanges, by 

 which a number of specimens, approximately equal to the acces 

 sion, actually leave the collection. Practically, also, it is faulty, 

 since a considerable proportion of unsolicited accessions find their 

 way atonce to the waste basket, besides which accidents and other 

 unavoidable wastes occur. Thirdly, the estimates are given for 

 the total number of insects, and I have taken one-fifth as the prob 

 able proportion of Lepidoptera. This is not unlikely too high a 

 proportion for the latter years with the great increase in the col- 



* There seems to be a general tendency to overestimate insect collec 

 tions. The Neumoegen collection, when actually counted by Mr. Doll, 

 was but half of the supposed amount. Dr. Skinner estimates the Strecker 

 collection at 200000 (Ent. News, xiii, 2, 1902); but my own estimate, 

 made in Dr. Strecker's presence, was 100,000, and I believe a very liberal 

 one. 



