EXCHANGING INSECTS. 271 



I wind up or unwind this tangled sentence? I cannot well amend it, 

 and I do'nt feel disposed to take the trouble of beginning it over again. 

 I have it — thus: It is not too late for you, good reader, to contribute 

 to the said fund, if you think proper to do so — that will do; a good 

 sentence — a good paragraph altogether. Now to proceed. I say, in the 

 account I put forth, I wrote as follows. 



"The parish of Nunburnholme is situated at the end of a quiet and 

 retired valley, in the East-Riding of Yorkshire, in the midst of some 

 very pleasant scenery. The church is small, the population being only 

 about two hundred and twenty. It presents some interesting features to 

 the antiquary, having a remarkably fine and ornamented Norman arch, a 

 small Norman west window, considered to be almost unique, one very 

 large and curious double window, a fine east window, and two other 

 good ones. The churchyard might have served Gray for the subject of 

 his -'Elegy.'" 



tftttonrolngij. 



EXCHANGING INSECTS. 



BY C. R. BREE, ESQ. 



The publication of the "Entomologist's Intellingencer," lias given a great 

 impulse to the exchange of insects among collectors, and perhaps a few words 

 upon the subject may not be out of place here. 



In exchanging insects, by which local species get generally distributed 

 among the various cabinets in the United Kingdom, we think there are 

 several points which ought to be strictly observed. In the first place we 

 think it ought to be distinctly understood that none but insects in a good 

 state of preservation ought to be sent out unless under special or exceptional 

 circumstances. 



The transmission of insects by post is attended by considerable expense, 

 and a box of bad insects is rarely worth the carriage. The exceptions are 

 when an insect is of great rarity, or where it is difficult or almost im- 

 possible to get it in good condition. But this ought always to be stated in 

 the correspondence, which as a matter of course precedes the exchange, so 

 that each party is in possession of the terms of the implied contract. 



We believe, and hope still more, that the instances are rare in which 

 bad or injured specimens are sent wilfully. 



If such a case is clearly made out, we think the person who receives 

 them is quite justified in returning the box without touching the con- 

 tents, or paying the return postage. One general fault among all young 



