AMONG THE ANCIENTS. 125 



But revenons d nos motitons. The Catalogue itself is a fine bit of 

 work with an engi-aved Fi'ontispiece, and cost each would-be buyer five 

 shillings. The sale occupied 39 days (one day beyond the time esti- 

 mated) and the objects sold realised some £1 1,523. Insects formed but 

 a small part of the collection, but it is they alone that interest us here. 



At the outset I find a note in the book, evidently written at the time 

 of the sale, to this effect : — " The name of Humphry occurs so often 

 in this Catalogue and, as it is well known that he bought almost all on 

 commission for others, to save time, as well as hereafter to fix the proper 

 names of those wlio(m) he bought for, the initial H. only is added. 

 J. L." These initials are those of Jno. Laskoy, Crediton, the original 

 owner of the Catalogiie. 



It would appear that, besides Humphry, men named Dennis, Allan- 

 son, Bailey, Francillon, Money, Hunter, Forster, Eoper, Seaton, 

 Marsham, Tennant and Pownall jiurchased the greater part of the 

 Exotics in the collection, but with the exception of Drury, Francillon 

 and Marsham, no one had a chance against Humphry in buying the 

 British insects. Many lots however contained British and Exotic in- 

 sects mixed, and in some cases no attempt to subdivide them is apparent. 



As samples of the prices realised the following are interesting : — 

 " Lot 268. Eight species of very rare Phalenfe, viz., gonostigma, curttda, 

 solids, cori/li, monacha, atra, L. and 2 undescribed," £1 3s. " Lot 275. 

 Five rare species of Phalenee, viz., absinthii, aim, gamma, circumflexa, L., 

 and a nondescript," £1 10s. "Lot 277. Eighteen ditto, such as 

 dromedarius, palpina, leporina, eamelina, &g. all labelled," £'J, Is. "Lot 

 280, Ten rare sj^ecies of Phalence, viz., fulvago, occulta, L., &c." £1 12s. 

 "Lot 282. Twenty species of small Phalense, chiefly Alucitae," £1 10s. 

 " Lot 283. Ten rare species of Phalenee, viz., pisi, chi, gothica, satelUtia, 

 triplacia, &c." £1 13s. " Lot 287. Various lepidoptera, many of them 

 very rare, such as Phalena proicox, L., of which there are no less than 

 12 pairs," £3 13s. 6d. With the exception of this last Lot, which was 

 bought by Drury, all the above Lots were bouglit by Humphry. 

 This was in the Third day's sale. In the Sixth day's sale, a mixed lot, 

 chiefly without names, were bought by Humphry. The important 

 items appear to have been : " Lot 585. Nineteen specimens of English 

 Phaleuce, among which is a pair oi prcecox, L." £2 5s. "Lot 588. Six 

 species of rare English Papiliones, viz., aiiiiopa, ins, avion, L., &c. all 

 fine," £1 13s. " Lot 590. Four species of English Phalense, viz., 

 tremula, dromedarius, curtula and ziczac," £2 18s. " Lot 595. Four 

 species of English Phalense, viz., fagi, or the lobster, lanestris. Spotted 

 Ermine of Harris, &c." £2 3s. Among this, too, was " Lot 593. 

 Fourteen beautiful Paj)iliones, viz., a pair of dapUdice, sometimes found 

 in England, maja, L. &c." 16s. ; these dapUdice therefore were 

 not sold as British. All the important Lots in this day's sale also went 

 to Humjjhry. In the Eighth day's sale there are none designated as 

 British ; many appear in fact without the slightest data. In the Tenth 

 day's sale however we find a mixture of British and Exotic species. 

 Lots 1020-1ij33 were all bought by Humphry. " Lot 1021. Nine rare 

 species of English Phalena^, among which are falcataria, lacertinaria, 

 defoliaria, pulveruria, and others." £1. " Lot 1033. Twenty species of 

 English Tinese, all rare, among which are carnella, raiella, clerckella," 

 lis. The Thirteenth day's sale contained: — "Lot 1271. Seventeen 

 species of English Phalenge, most of them rare, and some nondescript," 



