Q74 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
stained, or in some other manner coloured to represent unusual 
forms. So cleverly were they manipulated, that more than one 
of our oldest and most experienced entomologists have been 
imposed upon, not only by the excellence of the fabrication, but 
likewise by that childlike innocence (so ably depicted in the 
‘Heathen Chinee’) with which these negotiations were con- 
ducted by the fabricator or his agent. Of course these people 
had ‘“‘ no idea” that there was anything specially peculiar in the 
varieties which they had ‘“ bred ’—but that, as they appeared 
somewhat unusual, they were willing to allow their corres- 
pondents to have them for trifling sums of two shillings each 
variety and upwards. 
As a warning to variety hunters, the following communi- 
cations, selected from others received by me, are set forth. 
Extract from a letter to Mr. Marsden, of Gloucester, from the 
vendor :— 
“Tam obliged to you for your letter of the 9th, and would have replied 
before, but was away from home. I now send you all (six) the blue-tipped 
varieties I have, with the exception of two in my private collection. I have 
not disposed of any, neither have I tried to. I only obtained ten really good 
ones, and will take sixteen shillings for the eight I have sent you, which I 
think you will consider a reasonable price.” 
The following communication I have received from Mr. 
Herbert W. Marsden, of Gloucester, above referred to :— 
‘Early last month I received by post, from a total stranger, two 
specimens of Vanessa urtice, the apical spot being blue instead of the 
customary white. Sender asked 3s. each for them, and apparently took me 
to be an amateur collector; and added that he had bred a few similar 
specimens from a very large number of pupe. Believing them to be 
genuine I replied that, although of no use to me personally, if he would 
send me all there were I would dispose of them for him. A few days later 
I received a letter from a well-known and highly-respected country collector 
and dealer, from which I learnt that he also had received two similar 
specimens from same source. Some days later six more were sent me; and 
in the accompanying letter the owner says he had only obtained ten really 
good ones,—eight sent me and two in his own collection; thus not 
accounting for the two sent my friend. He also adds,—‘I have not 
disposed of any, neither have I tried to.’ As shown above, this “is a 
deliberate falsehood, and this aroused my suspicions that the whole affair 
was an attempt at fraud, In the meantime I had sent one of the original 
specimens to Mr. Frederick Bond, which I have since received back. He 
