THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 75 



and urimistakeably British. A specimen caught in Kent which would 

 fetch 2/. would not be worth 2s. if caught in Normandy. I satirised this 

 practice several years since in the ' Entomologist's 1 Weekly Intelligence' 

 (vol. v. and 1858, articles ' Jeddo' and ' Insularity'), but it is yet far from 

 extinct." 



Perfectly concurring in Mr. Stainton's observations in the last para- 

 graph, 1 would, however, add, that there are purposes for which a local 

 or geological collection distinct from the general one may be of great use, 

 and such a collection would be much impaired by the introduction of 

 stray foreign specimens. In a local museum, a separate room devoted 

 exclusively to the productions of the locality is very instructive with 

 reference to the history of that locality, and 1 have seen several such 

 spoiled by the admission of exotic specimens, giving the visitor false 

 impressions, which it takes time to remove. But it is never from such 

 an exclusive collection that the fauna or flora of the district can be satis- 

 factorily worked out, or that any branch of Zoology or Botany can be 

 successfully taught. 



Mr. Stainton adds : " It has been suggested to me that those who 

 have critically studied the distinctions between closely allied species have 

 rarely the time to work out in addition their geographical range, and that 

 those who might work up the latter subject might fail in their good inten- 

 tions for want of a proper knowledge of species." Upon this I would 

 observe that, in the due appreciation of a species of its limits and con- 

 nections, its geographical range and the various forms it assumes in 

 different parts of its area are an essential element ; and it appears to 

 me that the neglect of this and other general characters is one reason 

 why many able naturalists, who have devoted their lives to the critical 

 distinction of races of the lowest grades unduly raised to the rank of 

 species, have really contributed so little to any science but that of sorting 

 and naming collections. On the other hand, the study of geographical 

 range without a proper knowledge of species is little more than pure 

 speculation. Division of labour carried too far tends to narrow the mind, 

 and rather to delay than advance the healthy progress of science. 



Mr. Stainton informs me that " there has just appeared a monograph 

 of the Ephemeridas, by the Rev. A. E. Eaton (Trans. Entom. Soc, 187 1), 

 treating of those insects throughout the globe ; and when any species are 

 noticed which occur in this country, their entire geographical range is 

 noticed. It is altogether a valuable paper, on account of the thorough- 

 ness with which it seems to be done." — Nature, July 6, 187 1. 



