NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 



13 



keen iutelligeiice and careful observance Avliicli they have devoted to 

 tlie clearing up of some of the anomalies which do and must continue 

 to occur in all merely compiled Lists or Catalogues. AVliere space and 

 opportunity permit, the study of variation should not be neglected, and 

 should 1)0 taken up, not only from the point of view of rarity or even 

 " imiipie "-ness. Avith its commercial side of "■ value," but from the 

 scientific point of view of cause and distril^ution in their respective 

 relations. To do this thoroughly and, at the same time, not neglect the 

 more evident and apparent results of uniformity and symmetry, are 

 problems which, at the present moment, are beginning to occupy the 

 attention of many, who from the older penchant for short series, had 

 considered their collections practically complete ; and this should spur 

 the younger collectors to gTcater energy, for, as the old adage pithily 

 puts it, '' Well-liegun is half-done," and it is in the power of all of us to 

 Ijegin well. 



The first and most important point is, to decide upon the extent 

 which tlie collector wislies his collections to occupy, wherever this is 

 })racticable ; and witli this end in view, the sight at first of tho 

 inevitably numerous long eui})ty series must be borne with, and should 

 act as an invaluable stimulus to additional energy in field-work, and 

 may I add, in these daj's of exchange on a strictly commercial l)asis, 

 should also afford scope for the generosity of those more advanced, who 

 thereby liave tlie opportunity afforded them of giving much pleasure at 

 very little personal cost or trouble. Shoiild the cabinet drawers be 

 second-hand and dirty, they must be thoroughly stripped, and the cork 

 examine<l, and where loosened, fastened doAvn securely, and if necessary, 

 well ruljl)ed with glass paper to renew the surface before l^eing re- 

 papered. The papering is much a matter of personal aptitude, and 

 those to whom tedious mechanical and rather tiresome work is 

 distasteful, woidd do Itest to send their drawers to one of the numerous 

 dealers in apjiaratus, as all the sul)se(pient time and trouble necessary 

 to careful arrangement, deserve at least a good start, hy Itegiiniing with 

 neatly papered drawers. Where they are not sufficiently Itadly stained 

 or dirty to need repairing, the}^ can Ije ]Dainted with oxide of zinc, Avhich 

 imparts a good whitt- surface, filling up all old pin-holes, and if care- 

 fully applied, and when dry, well rubbed down, will afford a perfectly 

 level white surface, free from all lines and smudges. A word here to 

 those who may have cabinets in which no camphor cell has been, 

 provided ; it is a A'eiy simple and easily accomplished jol) to add one, 

 l>y procuring thin slips of wood (or even card-lioard will ansM'er) the 

 width and depth of the drawer, fixing same by glueing small ])locks of 

 wood in the inner corners of the cell thus made, and not forgetting to 

 jierforate the slips to allow of the evaporation of the contents into the 

 drawer. The widtli of the cell need onl}' be a fraction of an inch, and 

 the wooden frame of the glass will in most cases, hide it froui sight ; 

 but where sliding glasses in grooves are used, a narrow slip of papei 

 can lie pasted on the glass as a border, and can be made of sufficient 

 width in front to hide the cell. This plan is far superior to any con- 

 trivances of pill-boxes or bags for camphor or naphthalin pinned in 

 the corners of drawers, both on the score of safety and ap})earance. 

 Before commencing to divide even the first drawer, it is essential to look 

 ahead, and remembering the number of drawers available, to rigorously 

 allot to each species the space that can Ije allowed, and this is best 



