56 THE entomologist's record. 



logical Society of London, October 4th, 1876. This species can no 

 longer be called a rarity. I'ac/nidbia alpina. — Only one or two records 

 by Carrington, Eedle, etc., till 1876, when it was taken in con- 

 siderable numbers in Scotland, since which time it has ceased to be 

 looked upon as really rare. Time will not admit of more than just 

 mentioning a few others : Seaia c/iri/.'u'difonnis, Acidalla immorata, 

 Kujiitliecia e.vtensaria, K. irritfuata, E. tuf/ata, JocJiaeara f Acroni/cta j 

 alni, Tapinmtola elyvii, Dianthoeria albiiimcula, D. irie(/uluris, Plnsia 

 clirijson, F. inoneta, Nuscia cilialis, Craiiibus mi/ellus, Turtrix piceaiia, 

 Pent/iina poatyemana, and Iletlnia resinana. 



The aberrations brought for our inspection have been most 

 numerous and extraordinary, noticeably whole drawers full of such 

 species as Arctia coj'i, Spilosomn lujiricipeda, S, ineudlcn, S. inoithastri, 

 Abro.ras (/rosmliiridta, Aijrotis tritici, etc., each specimen being unique. 

 Indeed, it is quite exceptional to attend a meeting at which some 

 interesting aberration is not exhibited. Without thus drawing 

 attention to the subject, we do not realise how much is done in twenty 

 years, and how important it is to have a society like our own, where 

 the members have the opportunity of seeing novelties, either in new 

 species, or varieties, or aberrations. 



The question on these annual occasions is how to select a subject 

 for our consideration, and it has occurred to me that to devote the 

 short time at our disposal to a chat about the entomological literature 

 prior to the birth of our society, and that published during the last 

 21 years, may be interesting to all present. Of course, we can- 

 not do more than briefly allude to, or mention most of, the works 

 written on the subject, and, indeed, I would suggest that we 

 should confine our remarks more particularly to the consideration 

 of the literature relating to Lepidoptera, regarding such volumes 

 as valued friends with whom each one of us is more or less 

 intimately acquainted. As I sit in my library, which contains a 

 considerable number of entomological works, I feel, as it were, sur- 

 rounded by so many friends and acquaintances, and prize the privilege 

 of being able to take down a volume and consult with its author on the 

 subject which demands my special attention at the time. The study 

 ■of msect life is so stupendous and exhaustive that, without such aid, 

 few of us would be prepared to give an answer to some of the simplest 

 questions brought before us ; and, indeed, those who know the most 

 on any subject will generally be the first to acknow'ledge how little 

 they do know, and how much they have to learn. A few years ago it 

 was my privilege to entertain at a garden party several of the most 

 eminent authorities on special orders of entomology, and I shall ever 



remember the reply made to a remark by one present : " Mr. , 



I understand you know all about the Iclmmmonidae '? '' To which the 

 gentleman addressed made reply : " I have devoted fifty years of my 

 life to their study : if I live another fifty years, and continue my in- 

 vestigations, and this question is again put to me, I may then say, ' I 

 am beginning to know something about them.' " Dr. Goodwin, 

 Bishop of Carlisle, a true son of science, said, a few days before his 

 death : " The longer I live, the more I feel the burden of my ignorance, 

 but I pray God, 1 may have the strength of mind to die learning." 



Previous to the last few years, entomological literature has been 

 -almost wholly devoted to systematising, and further, the various 



