40 THE kntomolooirt's reoord. 



to " proba1)ly." Tlie '' prol)abl3^ " in connection witli Phma iUustris is 

 valued at 12s., but in connection with Agrotis subgothiaa at 21s. The 

 vahie of the American " jji-obably " therefore exceeds that of the 

 German or French " prol)ably " by 9s. What a scientific value these 

 specimens must have, when even their late owner did not know that 

 they were what they were supposed to be ! What ! No one believes in 

 this Acontia Solaris after its " probabilities " have been discussed ? Yes I 

 Its " probability " is worth 10s., but the discussion on HeliotJds seldom 

 has raised its value from 4d. to £5 10s. Fourpence, I think that is the 

 money value of all specimens of scutosa but this one. I suppose this 

 one was born or made differently. Of course I am very ignorant and 

 these buyers very wise. They would not buy it unless it was Avorth 

 the money, and yet it don't look very different from dozens of otliers 

 that I have seen. Then comes 13s. for a Goncpteryx cleojyatra. What 

 a fauna we are getting in Britain now. Then come Mr. Rogers' 

 wonderful 1892 specimens. Now we shall see the price of real British 

 rarities. Four S. sacraria, 8s. I Three Leucania vifellinn, 14s. ! One C. 

 aJchi/tnista, 14s. 1 Two Noctua flaininatra, 14s. I Four Tyaphi/gvia exigua 

 with one doubtful, 7s. ! One Micra oslrina and one M. parca, 7s. ! 

 Well ! how can we fathom this ? If these are British, they are worth 

 ten times this sum according to the wiseacres here. If not, why do 

 people give about six times their continental value for them ? Do these 

 honest looking people really buy them hoping that some day the 

 " ( )pen Sesame " of " Burney's collection " will repay them tenfold ? If 

 so — Ugh ! I'm getting giddy. Again the auctioneer gives forth that 

 Mr. Tutt disowns the two AcidaJia herhariata to which his name is 

 attached, and then a non-British species A. hipmicteUa and a Mccymi 

 jjolygonalis go with the outsiders for 7s. These four " bugs " could 

 surely be bought at the dealer's whence they evidently came for less 

 tlian ]s. But I feel revived as some good honest-looking EnpoeciJia 

 giln'comaim produce about 15s. per jiair. Then comes Sesia amlreniformis, 

 its value just doubled by its position, 15s. Ah ! here are some />. 

 galii and C. celerio included with 320 other specimens going for 7s. I 

 Gone I without the buyers of similar lots attempting to stay their 

 disgrace. Here's D. compta going with 450 other moths for 18s. ; 

 this is the way to extend your collection ; and there are many more 

 wonderful things. "• Beg pardon," says a voice as an attendant nearly 

 knocks me down. I soon waken u}) and find the next collection on the 

 iapls. The sale of the great liurney collection is over. HerlKiriata, 

 jjoh/gonalis, hiptinctella, enpltorlyiac, gaJli, celerio, erytliroccpilialu, iiiohe, 

 Idthoiiid, and every other reputed si)ecies in the British list have been 

 scattered broadcast over the country, and the words " Burney's 

 collection" will in tlie course of the next few days be ticketed to 

 liundreds of specimens, to wliich no label was ever attached by their 

 owner. Vercllns or erythrocfii/nihi, rorcllnx or erlerio, label-less and 

 data-less from Mr. Hurncy's collection cannot [)Ossil)ly liavc ;iiiy 

 scientific value, wli;it will be their \alue in otlier collections witli the 

 charmed label attached to them ? 



But the day's sale is not over yet. The Eev. J. Seymour St. John's 

 insects are to be sold. Three Vanessa antiopa from " Dr. Marsh, Nor- 

 folk," only produce ()S. each. How is this ? Did not V. antiopa from 

 iMessrs. Wigan and Parry ])roduce about a pound apiece ? Tlien a pair of 

 Lycaena argiadcs (again '* received from J)r. iMarsh "j produce £4 10s., 



