MIDLAND ENTOMOLOGY. B15) 
By these means the science of Entomology would be advanced. 
Entomologists—both old hands and incipients—would be benefited, and 
ouz Societies would crown themselves with honour. 
Having dealt with one of the main causes that operate to deter 
persons from entering upon the pursuit of Entomology, we may proceed 
to consider another of even greater importance, viz., the want of reliable 
and easily accessible works descriptive of the species of insects belonging to 
the several orders. With few exceptions the records of Entomological 
research are scattered about and hidden away in a vast mass of literature, 
consisting of transactions of the various learned Societies, (English and 
foreign,) pamphlets, magazines, &c., and are inaccessible to the ordinary 
student. If it is desired to identify any particular insect, or to find out 
what is known of its natural history, it will probably be necessary to 
consult a dozen different works—English, French, German, and Latin— 
gleaning a little information from each of them. The Botanist and 
Geologist are better off than the Entomologist in the matter of text-books, 
and this doubtless accounts in great measure for the fact previously 
alluded to, that those subjects are commonly preferred to the one 
under consideration. Our Societies could do much to remove this diffi- 
culty by purchasing a copy of every good monograph published, and by 
laying themselves out to secure sets of all the scientific societies’ publica- 
tions—generally expensive and beyond the means of individuals—instead. 
of frittering away their funds in buying the cheaper books which nearly 
everyone could afford to obtain for himself. 
Two very effectual means of fostering Entomological tastes amongst 
us would be the formation of collections and the issue of lists, as 
complete as possible, and to be added to from time to time, of Midland 
Insects, with notes as to localities, dates, and other particulars. Every 
society should have not only a general collection of insects, but a 
collection of the insects of their particular district. These, together with 
the local lists, would form a good base of operations, and afford the 
requisite facilities for gauging his own work, to any one who might 
desire to enter upon thestudy, and would, besides, be extremely valuable 
to the more advanced workers. 
A suggestion has been made that a new class of constituents should 
be added to our societies by the admission of youths with a taste for 
Natural History, under the name of Associates. If that idea should be 
acted upon, it might be worth consideration (bear in mind that it is 
principally to the young we must look for our expected crop of Ento- 
mologists) whether small money or book prizes might not be offered for 
Entomological work, either in the form of original papers, general 
collections of insects, or collections illustrative of particular orders or 
families. 
No doubt there are many other methods by which the taste for 
Entomology could be extended, and very much more could, of course, be 
said in reference to the few rather crude hints I have ventured to throw 
out. This paper, however, is not intended to be more than merely 
suggestive, and the aim of the writer will have been accomplished if it 
conduces in the remotest degree to greater attention being paid in and by 
our societies to the interesting subject of ‘“‘ Midland Entomology.” 
