60 THE entomologist's rkcord. 



and in 1897 proprietor. It is now issued as a monthly in two forms, 

 a plain copy at twopence, and a thick paper coloured copy at fivepence. 

 Special features are plates of varieties, and papers on economic subjects. 

 Since the coloured figures of varieties were transferred from a separate 

 publication to this journal it has become very popular with lepidopterists. 

 Several of these plates have been devoted to figures of varieties in my 

 collection. 



Such is a brief review of the periodical literature dealing with the 

 Lepidoptera. The subject is a most interesting one, and its considera- 

 tion has extended to far greater length than I at first intended, still its 

 importance will, perhaps, be ample apology. It has, however, greatly 

 encroached upon the time at my disposal, and I must therefore content 

 myself with a mere glance at some of the more important general 

 literature. 



In some of my former addresses I have alluded to the paucity of 

 entomological literature in my early school-days. At that time very 

 few such books existed, and those of an elaborate and expensive 

 character, and, as a rule, quite beyond the reach of a school boy. 

 Amongst the few books, which then existed, may be mentioned 

 Curtis' and Stephens' British Entoninloi/i/. The former appeared 

 between 1824-40, in 16 volumes, and the latter between 1827-46, in 

 numerous volumes, of which four were on Lepidoptera. Even now 

 we have to look back to them with some degree of humiliation at the 

 very beautiful figures they contain, far surpassing the great majority 

 of those presented to us at the present time ; indeed, of the former 

 Cuvier said that the figures had " reached the ultimatum of per- 

 fection," In saying this I would also add that the figures in our 

 present works are all that we can expect for the money, and their 

 execution in a cheaper style brings the books within the reach of 

 many who otherwise would not be able to obtain them. Thus, in 

 those days the study of entomology was confined to the few, and the 

 first impetus which scattered a knowledge of insect life among the 

 people was that memorable work (1815), Kirby and Spence's Introduc- 

 tion to Kntomokuiii, written in so popular and attractive a manner, 

 and embellished with so many amusing anecdotes, it appealed to the 

 popular mind, and soon found a lodgment in the hearts of the people, 

 and was received gladly, and caused many to turn their attention to 

 the study of the little creatures made famous by these two writers. 

 But the interest aroused by Kirby and Spence was a i/eneral interest, 

 and it was not until 1832 that much attention was bestowed on any 

 special department, when Rennie's Conspectus came out, a small pocket 

 volume, which gave descriptions of all the then known species of 

 Lepidoptera. I here wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to this 

 book, which was such a help to me at that time ; and from it I 

 compiled a table, showing under each species, the time of imago, time 

 of larva, food-plant, and place where found, on which I spent con- 

 siderable labour. It will be interesting to quote a few references from this 

 book, and compare them with our present knowledge. Of butterflies 

 he enumerates 108 species, of which he says 24 are doiidtfulh/ British, 

 and 12 inore are probably only varieties of other species, which brings 

 the number to about the same as that at present admitted into our 

 lists ; though some of our present species — such as Thi/meHcus lineola, 

 Lampides boetica, and the qaestionsible Anosia arcJdppus ^yere not known 



