48 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



appeared from time to time in the pages of the ' Entomologist's 

 Monthly Magazine,' but the magnificent drawings remain to be 

 published, every larva described being most carefully and beauti- 

 fully figured. The ' Intelligencer ' contains a few short notes 

 contributed by Mr. Buckler ; but it is with the Ent. Mo. Mag. 

 that he has been most intimately connected. Its first volume 

 (1864—5) contained from his pen descriptions of the larvae of six 

 species of Lithosia, of Leucania comma, and of Xylophasia scolo- 

 paciiia ; with notes on the larvae of Leucania littoralis and Cara- 

 drina cubicularis. Not one of the twenty volumes has been 

 without numerous life-histories from the pen of Mr. Buckler and 

 his colleague the Eev. John Hellins, the current volume contain- 

 ing the descriptions of the larvae of Procris globularice, Zygcena 

 exulans, Endromis versicolor, Meliana flammea, Bankia argentula 

 (bankiana), and Apamea fibrosa ; this last written on December 

 3rd, and published in the January number. It was only last 

 September that Mr. Buckler wrote : — " After investigating the 

 life-histories of our Macro-Lepidoptera, and figuring their larvae, 

 since 1858, I have amassed more or less satisfactory notes and 

 figures of about 850 species, beginning with the Diurni and ending 

 with the Crambites. Hitherto my friends have been able to 

 supply me with British examples, but it will be evident, from the 

 numbers given above, that the time has come when there arises a 

 yearly-increasing difficulty in obtaining ova or larvae of the (com- 

 paratively) few species yet untouched ; whilst the old adage ' ars 

 longa vita brevis ' remains as true as ever ; therefore it is, that in 

 view of these pressing reasons, and after consulting the friends 

 whose opinion I most rely on, I have, after some little hesitation, 

 resolved to avail myself of continental aid. This resolve does not 

 lessen my desire to take my notes and figures in all possible cases 

 from indigenous examples ; in every case, as before, I shall make 

 a point of stating exactly and truthfully the source from whence 

 my information is derived, so that there will be, I trust, no 

 ground for complaint that I have ever attempted mystification, or 

 added to the difficulties of the naturalists who take in hand the 

 onerous and responsible task of settling the extent of our native 

 fauna." Alas ! how soon does the quoted adage apply to the 

 gifted historian of our British Lepidoptera. — E. A. F. 



