2(10 [April, 



In Diptera, there are a few instances of phosplioresence known. Pallas (Kleine 

 Notizen, 1781, iv, p. 396) records it in Culex ; Wahlberg (CEfv^. Vet. Akad. Forh., 

 1848, T, pp. 128 — 131), in Ceroplatus sesioides, bred from Polyporiis fonientanus ; 

 and Chironomus is noticed as giving a strong light, near Lake Ai'al, in Zool. Rec, 

 xii, p. 470. 



It is unnecessary here to refer to the many cases of phosphorescence in Coleop' 

 tera (beyond the observation that the "insect-larva " referred to by Hagen, as described 

 by Eeinhardt, is that of a beetle). The existence of it in Homoptera is, I believe, now 

 discredited.— E. C. Rye, 70, Charlwood Road, Putney, S.W. : March, 1878. 



" The first great national Entomological Exhibition." — This exhibition took place 

 at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, from the 9th to the 23rd March, and to it a 

 large number of amateurs and a few dealers contributed of their stores. The great 

 majority of the collections consisted of British Lepidoptera, some species being rare, 

 but mostly they were the same over and over again, often in long series of ten, twenty, 

 or thirty examples each, usque ad tianseam. There were also some excellent collec- 

 tions of preserved larviE, and illustrations of insect economy. British insects were 

 otherwise represented by three or four full collections of Coleoptera, one of Semip- 

 tera, one of Hymenoptera, and a few excellent microscopic preparations ; of exotic 

 insects there were two or three collections of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. The 

 representatives of the other Orders were few and casual in miscellaneous collections. 

 Truly it was a brave show, as old Pcpys might have said, — a show and nothing more. 

 But cui hono ? " Ay, there's the rub." 



The true purpose of an exhibition of objects of Natural History has been well 

 expressed by Professor Huxley* in his remarks upon museums, which are quite as 

 applicable, or even more so, to exhibitions like this now under notice. He says, " I 

 " dare say many of you, seeking knowledge, or in the laudable desire to employ a 

 " holiday usefully, have visited some great natural history museum. You have 

 " walked through a quarter of a mile of animals more or less well stuffed, with their 

 " long names written out underneath them ; and, unless your experience is different 

 " from most people, the upshot of it all is that you leave that splendid pile with sore 

 " feet, a bad headache, and a general idea that the animal kingdom is a 'mighty maze 

 " 'without a plan.' What the public want is easy and unhindered access to such a 

 " collection as they can understand and appreciate ; and what the men of science 

 " want is similar access to the materials of science." And, referring specially to birds, 

 he goes on to say that one of the general public " does not want to compare a hun- 

 " dred species of the sparrow tribe side by side, but he wishes to know what a bird 

 " is, and what are the great modifications of bird-structure, and to be able to get at 

 " that knowledge easily. Wliat will best serve his purpose is a comparatively small 

 " number of birds carefully selected, and artistically as well as accurately, set up ; 

 " with their different ages, their nests, their young, their eggs, and their skeletons 

 " side by side ; and a tablet telling the spectators what they are and what they mean. 

 " For the instruction and recreation of the public such a typical collection would be 

 " of far greater value than any many-acred imitation of Noah's ark." 



For the purposes of a scientific entomological student — the examination of 

 structure, general and minute, the comparative anatomy, the place in nature, and 

 » " Lecture on the Study of Biology." 



