332 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



To the educated man again, a collection should be a record of 

 observations: — (i). Of observations made in the field by the collector 

 himself. (2). Of observations leading to comparisons in species which 

 he has obtained from others. Nothing, I think, is more disap;.'ointing than 

 to find a comparatively well-educated man with no ideas of comparison, 

 no appreciation of the development of species as exhibited by variable 

 forms, no wish to have specimens of a species from an outlying locality, 

 because he can get the species himself and his series is full, no idea of 

 the habits, life-histories, etc., of his specimens, to whom the only value 

 of the collection is to have six or more fine, well-set specimens, obtained 

 from the same locality, without data, without making any impression 

 on the collector's mind beyond a passing "What perfect specimens! 

 What perfect fringes ! How well set ! " In an uneducated man, a 

 "collection " formed in this way is pardonable, in an educated man, it 

 is unjustifiable. 



There is a stage in all collectors' lives, when the love of possession 

 and the beauty of the collection is perhaps the ruling passion. When a 

 man has been collecting some six or eight years and finds that he has 

 no more wish to know the how, when, where, and why of his specimens 

 than he did at first, he may take it as a matter of fact that his collection 

 is doing him but little good. If he makes no observations, his col- 

 lection is the "end" and not the "means," as it ought to be, to the " end." 



If a man has but limited space, — say he can take six specimens of 

 each species — instead of getting six specimens of the same species from 

 the same locality, let him get a <? and ? of the species from three 

 localities, then he will be getting material to make observations, and 

 his collection will become a " means to an end." 



Better still, if a man's space is limited, let him devote himself to one 

 genus. There is more value to be got out of a close study of a single 

 genus like Agrotis or Scoparia, than by a superficial attempt to collect 

 the whole group. To the beginner, I would say most decidedly — get 

 a knowledge of the whole group first ; but I am suggesting the study of 

 a group to one whose space and time is limited but who wishes to 

 become a useful entomological student. 



If our collectors will only ask and answer the question :— Is my 

 collection an "end," or the "means to an end"? they will soon be 

 able to tell whether their collecting is of use to them. — J. W. Tutt, 

 Westcombe Hill, S.E. 



Notes of the Season of 1890 (Lepidoptera). — Clevedon. — I have 

 only taken one specimen of Dasycainpo ridnginea, and one specimen of 

 Petasia cassinea at rest on a twig evidently just emerged. Pcecilocampa 

 popiili appeared on the evening of November 12th, but I have seen no 

 other specimens up to this date ; it would appear, from this and pre- 

 vious observations, that there are two distinct periods of emergence of 

 this insect in this locaUty. I tried sugaring on several evenings during 

 the third week in November, but with no result, not a single insect, 

 and I am afraid the severe frost and snow of last week will necessitate 

 the placing of the sugaring tin on the shelf for the winter. — J. Mason, 

 Clevedon Court Lodge, Somerset. December, 1890. 



North Wilts.— On the whole, I do not think this has been a good 

 season for Lepidoptera here. Sugar, as in other places, seems to have 

 been productive only at certain times. During the latter end of June 



