NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC 77 



in his recent pamphlet, I should like to say that the quotation in 

 question was taken from a review on the same, which in these 

 words really gave the gist of his arguments. — Herbert Chitty ; 

 Balliol College, Oxford, February 13, 1885. 



Exchanging or Giving away. — I have read with much 

 interest the views of your correspondents as to exchanging or 

 giving away duplicate specimens. Will you kindly spare me 

 space, as one having experience, for a few words on the subject. 

 One of your correspondents laments the " good old days," and 

 the rarity of generosity now-a-days. Another expresses his con- 

 tempt for outsiders and beginners. I am at one with him as to 

 the picture-makers. But how about the beginners ? Ten years 

 ago, scarcely " the good old days," at the conclusion of a little 

 paper, which the then Editor kindly inserted in your useful 

 periodical, I offered some series of a species which I took 

 plentifully, and which I found afterwai'ds was comparatively 

 local. I was surprised, as was the postman, at the number of 

 postal boxes sent for them. Among the applicants many truly 

 were beginners, and may be some were outsiders ; but many 

 also were old and well-known entomologists. I have since 

 renewed the offer annually, and have sent the species to more 

 than 250 applicants. I do not say this in self-glorification, but 

 that I may induce others to follow the example, and take the 

 trouble, for trouble it certainly is, to give, not merely exchange, 

 any duplicates they may spare. Let not older entomologists 

 forget the time when they, as beginners, were so grateful for the 

 gift and delighted by the beauty of a Thyatira derasa, by the 

 pale loveliness of a Uropteryx sambucata, or the brilliancy of 

 Venilia macularia ; and let them, when able, confer that pleasure 

 on others. And may I add, to take a lower stand-point, "giving 

 awa}' " brings other rewards ; for the acquaintance, and sometimes 

 the friendship, of well-known entomologists I feel myself indebted 

 to my offers of even so small an insect as Pol'ia fiavicincta. 

 " Small kindnesses sometimes meet with great rewards." — (Dr.) 

 H. W. Livett; Wells, Somerset, February 6, 1885. 



Exchanging and Collecting Insects. — Allow me to say 

 that I fully concur with Mr. Coverdale in his statement on 

 exchanging. It does indeed seem as if the good old entomolo- 

 gical spirit was fast fading into nothing but commercial enterprise, 



