294 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



writer remembers that Mr. Raynor expressed his intention of con- 

 tinuing to collect, but that henceforth he would house only the most 

 perfect specimens. This determination he has adhered to, and those 

 who assembled at Stevens' Auction Rooms on October 22nd last, had 

 the pleasure of seeing a collection of insects in most beautiful 

 condition, as well as many of unusual forms. Many a familiar face 

 was absent from the Auction Rooms ; but there was evidence of the 

 continuance of the race of buyers of days gone by. 



It was quite evident from the commencement of the sale that the 

 interest centred about certain special lots, and as is so often the case, 

 in the " preliminary canter," lot after lot fell for sums which do 

 not appear magnificent. Twenty-seven " clearwings," including three 

 S. scoliiformis, for 8s. ; and eighteen, including four S. sphegiformis,ioT 

 5s., or even 6s., are not princely prices. Now, and at other periods of 

 the sale, one fancied one heard the heart-broken sighs of the worthy 

 dealers ; but towards the middle, it became evident that the noise 

 proceeded from an attendant snapping cracked crockery. 



The first exciting lot was a single specimen of Sesia culiciformis, 

 with an additional band. Seriously, one felt inclined to think this 

 novel belt might be glue, but knowing the seller, and trusting the 

 discretion of the buyer, one was glad when it was knocked down for 

 £2 10s. Hereabouts appeared upon the scene the welcome buyers 

 who will not be denied, and business began in earnest. A fine 

 aberration of Hepialus hectus, which in somewhat plebeian company 

 fetched 6s. at the " Briggs' " sale, now, in much the same society 

 realised £'1, while a well marked aberration of H. kumuli var. hetMan- 

 dica, bought on the same occasion for 6s., raised the value of the lot 

 now to 16s. Arctia villica, with dusky hindwings, bought with 30 

 other insects at the same sale for £1, now fetched £1 6s. alone. 

 One could dilate upon the "unearned increment" in insects, but 

 these instances must for the present suffice. 



Then were offered the Spilosoma lubricipeda aberrations, a most 

 interesting series of picked specimens, exclusively derived from Mr. 

 Raynor's Lincolnshire race, having, as is well known, no connection 

 whatever with the original " north country " strain. Of the 68 specimens 

 divided into 31 lots, only 11 sold for less than 2s. 6d. each. Of the 

 highest prices, £3 was given for a rayed example, quite out of the 

 common, £2 for a very fine var. zatima, and £1 15s. for a small, not 

 quite perfect, specimen of var. deschangei, entirely black, with the 

 exception of the thorax. The series brought in £18. A pair of Laelia 

 coenosa, bought at the Briggs' sale for £1 2s. now brought £1 15s. 

 One would expect this insect to increase in monetary value more 

 quickly than it does, seeing that the supply of English specimens has 

 quite ceased. Named aberrations of Malacosoma castremis and Lasio- 

 campa quercus did not seem to attract much attention, 46 specimens, 

 with 10 Pachygastria trifolii, realising only £1 7s. 



Then came one of Peter Bouchard's Killarney specimens of Notodonta 

 bicolor, originally from the "Shepherd" collection, and bought at the 

 " Briggs " sale for £3 3s. It was now valued at £4 10s. Here, again, 

 in spite of our ignorance as to the number which were taken in Ireland, 

 one feels that the increased value is not without reason. Two excellent 

 specimens of Drepana harpaqula (sicula) fetched the moderate figure of 

 £1 5s. 



