﻿26 
  Mr. 
  W. 
  W. 
  Saunders's 
  Descriptions 
  

  

  average 
  containing 
  more 
  than 
  100 
  specimens, 
  could 
  not 
  find 
  a 
  

   purchaser 
  at 
  two 
  sliillings 
  and 
  sixpence 
  per 
  case. 
  

  

  These 
  picture 
  collections 
  gave 
  a 
  pleasing 
  idea 
  of 
  the 
  entomo- 
  

   logical 
  riches 
  of 
  China, 
  containing, 
  as 
  they 
  did, 
  many 
  beautiful 
  

   species 
  and 
  peculiar 
  forms 
  ; 
  and 
  the 
  naturalist 
  only 
  longed 
  for 
  

   some 
  chance 
  which 
  would 
  increase 
  his 
  knowledge 
  of 
  an 
  entomolo- 
  

   gical 
  fauna 
  apparently 
  so 
  rich. 
  From 
  time 
  to 
  time, 
  however, 
  it 
  

   may 
  be 
  remarked, 
  a 
  few 
  specimens 
  of 
  Chinese 
  insects, 
  from 
  locali- 
  

   ties 
  far 
  from 
  Canton, 
  were 
  sent 
  home, 
  the 
  result 
  chiefly 
  of 
  govern- 
  

   ment 
  expeditions, 
  and 
  the 
  exertions 
  of 
  missionaries, 
  or 
  of 
  indivi- 
  

   duals 
  to 
  whom 
  chance 
  had 
  given 
  an 
  opportunity 
  of 
  collecting. 
  

   These 
  extra 
  sources 
  were, 
  however, 
  not 
  frequent, 
  and 
  the 
  addi- 
  

   tional 
  number 
  of 
  species 
  obtained 
  from 
  them 
  were 
  very 
  limited, 
  

   but 
  still 
  full 
  of 
  interest. 
  

  

  The 
  opening 
  of 
  the 
  trade 
  with 
  China, 
  a 
  few 
  years 
  since, 
  was 
  the 
  

   first 
  opportunity 
  which 
  offered 
  for 
  obtaining 
  a 
  more 
  extended 
  

   knowledge 
  of 
  the 
  natural 
  productions 
  of 
  the 
  country 
  ; 
  and 
  although 
  

   at 
  first 
  jealousies 
  and 
  restrictions 
  prevailed, 
  these 
  are 
  now 
  begin- 
  

   ning 
  to 
  wear 
  away, 
  and 
  we 
  are 
  at 
  last, 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  Entomology 
  is 
  con- 
  

   cerned, 
  beginning 
  to 
  reap 
  the 
  advantages 
  of 
  the 
  change. 
  

  

  The 
  exertions 
  of 
  R. 
  Fortune, 
  Esq., 
  a 
  gentleman 
  who 
  has 
  been 
  

   able 
  to 
  penetrate 
  into 
  a 
  very 
  remarkable 
  portion 
  of 
  the 
  country, 
  

   and 
  whose 
  very 
  valuable 
  and 
  interesting 
  narrative 
  of 
  his 
  journey 
  

   has 
  just 
  been 
  published, 
  has 
  brought 
  many 
  new 
  and 
  remarkable 
  

   species 
  to 
  light, 
  adding 
  greatly 
  to 
  our 
  knowledge 
  of 
  the 
  subject 
  ; 
  

   and 
  J. 
  C. 
  Bowring, 
  Esq., 
  our 
  corresponding 
  member 
  at 
  Hong 
  Kong, 
  

   whose 
  sphere 
  of 
  action 
  is 
  more 
  limited, 
  has 
  shown 
  by 
  the 
  very 
  

   interesting 
  collections 
  he 
  has 
  sent 
  to 
  this 
  Society, 
  that 
  he 
  is 
  ably 
  

   investigating 
  the 
  Entomology 
  of 
  his 
  district, 
  and 
  doing 
  much 
  for 
  

   the 
  science. 
  

  

  It 
  is, 
  however, 
  to 
  the 
  labours 
  of 
  the 
  former 
  gentleman 
  that 
  I 
  

   am 
  desirous 
  of 
  drawing 
  the 
  attention 
  of 
  the 
  Society, 
  as 
  I 
  purpose 
  

   in 
  this 
  and 
  other 
  communications 
  to 
  describe 
  a 
  portion 
  of 
  the 
  new 
  

   species 
  discovered 
  by 
  Mr. 
  Fortune; 
  and 
  the 
  remainder, 
  excepting 
  

   the 
  Lepidoptera, 
  I 
  am 
  happy 
  to 
  say, 
  will 
  be 
  taken 
  in 
  hand 
  by 
  other 
  

   Entomologists, 
  who 
  have 
  offered 
  their 
  services, 
  and 
  who 
  will 
  do 
  

   the 
  subject 
  full 
  justice. 
  I 
  except 
  the 
  Lepidoptera, 
  for 
  a 
  part 
  of 
  

   this 
  order 
  has 
  been 
  undertaken 
  by 
  Mr. 
  G. 
  R. 
  Gray, 
  who 
  has 
  

   read 
  an 
  interesting 
  paper 
  before 
  the 
  Zoological 
  Society 
  on 
  the 
  

   diurnal 
  species 
  ; 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  hoped 
  that 
  the 
  new 
  species 
  belong- 
  

   ing 
  to 
  the 
  nocturnal 
  families 
  may 
  be 
  described 
  by 
  one 
  so 
  well 
  

   qualified 
  for 
  the 
  task. 
  

  

  