ON MAKING USEFUL COLLECTIONS OF INSECTS. 169 



rily determine the name of a particularly minute insect. Of course, 

 they do not experience the keen pleasure which is felt when, after 

 a long search, it is beyond a doubt correctly named and classified. 



The lepidopterist, to name his specimens, has often only to 

 refer to an illustration, or sometimes to get a friend to name them 

 for him ; but even if he has to refer to a description for the pur- 

 pose, the colours and markings are so striking and well distin- 

 guished, and the number of species so comparatively few, that it is 

 a matter of little or no difficulty. It may be said that the very 

 small moths — as, for example, the numerous family of the Tineina 

 — are difficult to make out, and doubtless such is the case ; but 

 here most collectors fail. The majority collect only the larger 

 species, commonly called Macros, and altogether ignore the Tor- 

 tricini and Tinetfia, or the Micros. This habit is so general that 

 lists are published of the Macro-Lepidoptera only. These ento- 

 mologists like the fun and excitement of collecting and showing 

 these large and brilliantly-coloured insects, and expatiating on 

 their beauty and rarity ; but are found to be sadly wanting when 

 required to make out the particular species of an insect, which can 

 scarcely be seen with the naked eye, and is, superficially, so like 

 dozens of other species, that it is only by an intimate knowledge 

 of the whole that any particular one can be determined with 

 certainty. 



It may be urged that Butterflies are easier to obtain than other 

 insects, and that this is the reason why they are so generally col- 

 lected ; but this, however, is not really the case, for not only is the 

 season of collecting Lepidoptera more restricted, but the captur- 

 ing and bringing home are much more difficult. In proof of this, 

 when we speak of the insects of the entire world, or of those 

 of any foreign country, the case is exactly reversed, for the 

 greatest number of species collected and described have been of 

 those insects which are easiest to obtain and to send home. 

 Hence, the species of Beetles known and described far outnumber 

 those of any other order of insects. Beetles can be easily pre- 

 served by being placed in spirit, in which they will keep any length 

 of time and retain nearly their original brilliancy, and in this way 

 one moderate-sized bottle will suffice to contain an immense 

 number of specimens. Butterflies and Moths, on the other hand, 



