96 Wiltshire Entomology. 
giving the student of nature a knowledge of the range of species, and 
what we may know of their positions of locality. A fundamental 
error with the majority of local faunists, consists in their limiting 
their observations within the capricious boundaries of counties or 
nations. This would be so far well, if it were intended merely as a 
step towards the elucidation of the entire natural range; but how 
seldom is this the case; how rarely do we find their interest in the 
subject extended to Nature’s own boundaries. Let the unprejudiced 
naturalist take a glance at those entomological cabinets devoted ex- 
clusively to British species, and he will quickly discover what a 
precious jumble is there made in geographical distribution. In 
such collections he will find two, if not three, distinct ranges of dis- 
tribution, illustrated by species taken within the British Isles, form- 
ing an arrangement to the entire exclusion of such as occur in the 
remaining portions of the same sphere of natural habitats. The 
only interest to the naturalist, in such collections, would consist in 
their elucidation of geographical character: this they do not possess; 
whilst as a systematic arrangement, the defects are still more 
apparent; thus leaving an impression on the mind, that such 
arrangements could only have been dictated by the most capricious 
absurdity. If such entomologists must have an arrangement of local 
fauna, let them study Nature’s geography and act accordingly. 
Another use in the investigation of local fauna, consists in the 
facility thus afforded, of noticing the peculiarities, and oft-times 
anomalies, which species exhibit in the selection of their habitats. 
This can only be attained by a patient tracing of the habits of the 
species, as shown in various localities. Thus it will be seen that 
local notes in the natural history of animal life, have their distinct 
sphere of usefulness, when viewed as a link or step towards a proper 
understanding of the economy of nature; but when looked upon as 
a topic of exclusive interest, far better would it have been had they 
never been perused. 
With this view let local investigators in this county go to work; 
contributing duplicates to the Society’s Museum, as well as fur- 
uishing catalogues of their Wiltshire specimens. 
W. C. Luxis. 
