PREFACE. 



insects tliey collected. But tlie spread of education has changed that 

 entirely ; many of the papers read before the various societies scattered 

 over the country show a knowledge and insight into our science which 

 would have been imi^ossible a few years ago, when the scientific side of 

 the study was rarely presented and when men collected for years 

 probably, before the necessity of thinking came home to them. It is 

 work of this kind that The Entomologist's Record sets itself to encourage 

 and to foster. 



We are anxious to keep British entomologists in touch with those 

 of similar tastes in various parts of the world. We do not think this 

 is best done by publishing articles on work done, or descriptions of 

 species from clistant parts of the world ; these must be studied by the 

 specialist who will buy the books he needs. But among the large amount 

 of material which passes through our hands (and for the purpose of en- 

 larging our knowledge of what is being done in different parts of the 

 world, and thus giving ourselves a broader view of the subject, we 

 exchange with all foreign magazines that will exchange with us), there 

 are often articles or books which contain information with which the 

 British collector should be acquainted. These we discuss as occasion 

 demands from our own British standpoint, and we feel satisfied that in 

 so doing, we interest all our readers. Glowing accounts of how to catch 

 Purple Emperors and Jersey Tigers may interest us occasionally, but 

 we cannot contini;ally get up an excitement on such subjects. 



One other matter we would mention, and in this we ask for the aid 

 of all right-thinking entomologists. Britishers have been described as 

 peculiar in their tastes and insular in their habits, with regard to matters 

 entomological, and not without good reason. We have no sympathy 

 with the man who prefers to remain ignorant because he is afraid to 

 have foreign insects in his possession for comparison with British, lest 

 he should be thought a cheat. Those men who study entomology as a 

 science are well-known ; they are above susjncion. At the same time, 

 our insular prejudices have placed a high (if artificial) money value on 

 rare and local British species. Why should they not have this value if 

 they are thought worth it ? That this is the case is proved by the 

 fact that the value is fixed in British sale-rooms. But this artificial 

 money value has led often to wholesale fraud, and we shall continue to 

 protect our science by exposing such fraud wherever we find it existent, 

 not so much from a sympathy with the victims, who sometimes appear 

 to be pleased when victimised and extremely cross when a dirty piece 

 of work is exposed, but on account of the fact that the introduction of 

 foreign sj)ecimens as British, falsifies the data on which our scientific 

 work is based, and disseminates error where we want to disseminate 

 truth. Ignorance and error are the two greatest enemies of Science. 

 Science is the well of absolute truth — all her devotees must seek to drink 

 from it. 



We are now on the threshold of another year, at the commence- 

 ment of another volume. To our subscribers and well-wishers we would 

 say, the success of the Magazine simply means a better article for your 

 money, for we wish to put into the Magazine the whole of the funds 

 received for it. To our friends Dr. Chapman and Dr. Buckell our best 

 thanks are due, for kindly help and often valualtle guidance. That the 

 Sixth Volume will find a general welcome from all classes of Entomo- 

 logists is the most earnest wish of 



YOUE EDITOR. 



