EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF ENTOMOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS. 249 



distinguish the slightest difference ? What do they care about 

 the hind wings being half covered up ? This system of setting 

 takes all the time, and in the end what is its value ? Will anyone 

 venture to assert that there is any real educational value in it ? 

 It is a purely mechanical operation. I repeat that there is very 

 little science or educational value in this exactitude, and that the 

 setting could be done just as well for educational purposes in 

 much less time. I quite appreciate good setting, if the individual 

 says, " I do it for pleasure or recreation " ; but to argue that our 

 system of setting is of educational value is another thing. One 

 might say that you can make a more exact study of an insect 

 while you are setting it ; but this I doubt. Setting takes up a 

 large amount of time. It is a slow, mechanical, and monotonous 

 process, trying to one's patience, and I might add to one's back, 

 without a corresponding return from any point of view. But 

 setting is adopted by most entomologists. We are gratified by 

 the beauty of our specimens when thus set, and I suppose it will 

 thus go on whilst the study of Entomology exists. Can anyone 

 tell me whether any of our really scientific entomologists has a 

 collection of unset insects, and does not set his specimens ? I 

 feel certain there must be some individual above the popular 

 prejudice.* (3) The arrangement of the collection is another 

 purely scientific and educational matter, and worth all the time 

 spent on it. A man who can classify the families, subfamilies, 

 and genera of Lepidoptera has grasped the whole educational 

 principle involved in such-like studies, — the need of arrangement 

 and order, the advantage of system over chaos. 



I dare say my views will be pooh-poohed by many entomolo- 

 gists, but I speak, as stated, as a professional educationist. The 

 scientific lepidopterists of Britain can almost be counted on the 

 fingers of the hands, or at any rate those who are publicly useful as 

 such in making known their views for general use. The writers 

 on popular branches of the subject perhaps number 50, and those 

 who record captures, &c., 200 or 300 more ; but of what scientific 

 value is the work of the others ? They collect Lepidoptera, and 

 want a series. They care little about the habitat or anything 

 else in connection with the natural histoi-y of a species. They 



* We believe tlmt more tlian one scientific entonicjlogist in this coimtry, 

 including Mr. Edward A. Fitcli, F.L.S., recently Secretary of the Entomological 

 Society, considers it unnecessary to set the specimens in their collections. — Ed. 



