PROCEEDINGS OP SOCIETIES. 243 



poisonous effects are communicated to the body which it enters. When 

 it is considered that some of the birds so killed are very likely to be 

 eaten by poor persons, who may thereby be subjected to great danger, 

 this matter becomes of importance, and I propose to refer to it more at 

 length on a future occasion. 



If ornithology offers inducements to the general, or partial observer of 

 nature, to bestow some of his leisure hours in making acquaintance with 

 its interesting details, what shall we say of entomology? 



The different species of British birds amount to about thirty-five; whilst 

 that of British insects to many thousands. Whether we look to the 

 direct or indirect injuries they inflict on us, or the direct or indirect 

 benefits they confer, their marvellous changes, beauty of colour, or singu- 

 larity of form, under every point of view they appear to me to present 

 such wonderful and speaking attractions, that I cannot conceive how it 

 happens that its study has been, I may almost say, entirely neglected, or 

 but very partially followed until the last few years. 



When I returned to England, in 1830, from Brussels, where I had 

 been to school, and was prepared to enter College life, I brought home a 

 treasure far more dear to me than the metaphysical scepticism of the 

 present day — the love of truthful nature. Imagine my disappointment — 

 which was great indeed — when my enthusiasm was only rewarded by the 

 jeers and rebukes of relatives and friends, at what they deemed my waste 

 of time over such inconsiderable things as insects and butterflies, instead 

 of the warm welcome of approbation the impulses of youth had anticipated. 



But the taste, once imbibed, could never again slumber, and perseverance 

 brought with it its proselytes. I had the supreme delight of seeing on 

 my return home, unexpectedly one day, my dear old parents panting and 

 exhausted from chasing a gaudy, yet common butterfly, over the kitchen- 

 garden. They were caught flagrante delicto; and you may easily conceive 

 that from that moment I had won the victory, for they never again 

 rebuked my pursuit, nor suffered others to do so. 



I believe, if we could stata the relative number of entomologists in 1830 

 and 1838, they would stand as one to a hundred. 



With so much to study, and so few years for collecting facts, can it 

 be surprising to you that no means have yet been discovered to destroy 

 the blight on the hop, the nigger on the turnip, the cockcbaffer grub 

 among the grasses, or the wireworm in the soil. 



These are but a few of the herd of destroying insects that rob the agri- 

 culturist of his hard-earned grains, and diminish the supply of food that 

 would otherwise gladden the hearts of thousands of our poorer countrymen. 



{To be continued.) 



