NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 175 



I did not reply to the CLiticism on my remarks before, because 

 I wanted to see the opinions of others. As, however, so few have 

 taken part in the discussion, I can only come to one coucUision, r/c, 

 that British collectors do not intend to adopt the flat unnatural method. 

 Mr. Jacoby has not a word to say in favour of the unnatural style, but 

 only abuse for the natural style, — the "exploded idea of looking 

 natural" Mr. Jacoby chooses to call it,— and he says that putting 

 insects on pins is not natural. He says our insects rest on the bottom 

 of the cases. In old collections it might have been so. Certainly no 

 modern collections are so set. I can quite understand any foreigner, 

 accustomed to see (in his own country) insects set in any particular 

 way, thinking therefore such way must be the proper one, but that ia 

 no reason why it should be so. Yes, I distinctly remember seeing the 

 cases of Mr. Elwes exhibited at the Entomological Society a few years 

 ago, and remarking to a neighbour how unlifelike and wooden they 

 looked, and he quite agreed with me. Mr. Jacoby wishes to know the 

 advantage of the "natural" method. It speaks for itself, I should 

 think, in being more lifelike, coming as near Nature as possible. — ■ 

 W. Dan NAT T. 



[We fear that some of our correspondents are rather wandering 

 from the main subject in this discussion. The point appears to be — = 

 Is it possible for lepidopterists in this country to arrive at some under- 

 standing with regard to the preparation of specimens for the cabinet, 

 so that there may be something more nearly approaching uniformity 

 in setting tjian exists at present ? The high-flat system has been 

 advocated because it seemed to those who have adopted it to possess 

 advantages over any modification of the English method. If, however, 

 the continental style does not commend itself, one is not compelled to 

 accept it. In fact, one is not bound to set one's specimens in any 

 particular style, or even to set them at all. The whole thing is entirely 

 a matter of individual fancy, and so long as exchange negotiations are 

 not entered upon, no one will venture to object. When, however, it is 

 considered desirable to extend a collection by exchange, the question 

 of uniformity in setting will present itself, and it seems only reasonable 

 to assume that the convenience of the minority will have to give way 

 to the requirements of the majority. — Ed.] 



Temperature and other Experiments on Lepidoptera. — At the 

 Royal Society's Soiree, which took place on May 19th last. Dr. Stand- 

 fuss exhibited some of the remarkable specimens he had obtained by 

 the application of artificial temperature, either during the pupal stage 

 of a species, or throughout its metamorphoses from the egg. In 

 another series there were examples of the results of crossing between 

 the typical forms and well-defined varieties of a species. All these 

 most interesting, and in some cases extraordinary, specimens, together 

 with a selection of the artificial temperature forms bred by Mr. Merri- 

 field (also exhibited at the soiree), are now to be seen in one of the 

 table cases in the insect gallery at the Natural History Museum, 

 South Kensington. We would strongly advise all who are interested 

 in the variation of Lepidoptera to take an early opportunity of seeing 

 this very instructive exhibition, which will probably only be accessible, 

 in its present complete form, for a limited period. 



