( 421 ) 



II.— ON THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF 

 INSECTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF STUDY. 



" I COTJLD wish," says Addison, in 'The Spectator,' " our 

 Royal Society would compile a body of natural history, the 

 best that could be gathered together from books and observ- 

 ations. If the several writers among them took each his 

 particular species, and gave us a distinct account of its 

 original, birth, and education ; its policies, hostilities, and 

 alliances ; with the frame and texture of its inward and 

 outward parts, — and particularly those which distinguish it 

 from all other animals, — with their aptitudes for the state 

 of being in which Providence has placed them ; it would 

 be one of the best services their studies could do mankind, 

 and not a little redound to the glory of the All-wise 

 Creator."* Now, though we can scarcely consider Addison 

 as a naturalist, in any of the usual meanings of the term, it 

 would be no easy task, even for those who have devoted 

 their undivided attention to the subject, to improve upon 

 the admirable plan of study here laid down. It is, more- 

 over, so especially applicable to the investigation of insects, 

 that it may be more or less put in practice by any person 

 who chooses, in whatever station or circumstances he hap- 

 pens to be placed. Nay, we will go farther ; for since it 

 agrees with experience and many recorded instances that 

 individuals have been enabled to investigate and elucidate 

 particular facts, who were quite unacquainted with sys- 

 tematic natural histoiy, we hold it to be undeniable that 

 any person of moderate penetration, though altogether 

 unacquainted with what is called Natural History, who 

 will take the trouble to observe particular facts, and endea- 



* 'Spectator,' No. 111. 



