Natural History. 47 



the record is more important than the specimen, as the object 

 of this inquiry is not to accumulate a handsome collection of 

 inse6ts so much as to study the distribution, variation and life 

 habits of each species. Beginning with locality we work to 

 the county, from this to the country and so on until the 

 gathered results give us full information as to the distribution 

 and variation of the species in the world. I will venture to 

 say that no more absorbing problems come within the view of 

 the naturalist than those connected with the range and 

 variation of species. When many records are possible it is 

 not an uncommon thing to discover that species usually 

 considered common are much more local than was expected, 

 and that so-called rarieties are much more generally distributed 

 than was known. Then again the study of habit and life 

 history is a great deal more profitable than the mere amassing 

 of specimens for show. So much then for the general objects 

 which the true naturalist will keep in view. I might spend a 

 much longer time dwelling on the pure delight of such an 

 investigation, its interest and exhilaration the best tonic and 

 stimulant to health and spirits possible. Think of the profusion 

 of living things around us. The other afternoon one dip of 

 the water net brought up an amazing number of bugs, amongst 

 which were no less than five species of Corixa ; and out of 

 this same little village pond, a very ordinary one, I have taken 

 fifteen species of water-beetle. As I am not writing for 

 experts, a few words as to ways and means may be useful to 

 some. Natural ingenuity will suggest a great many more 

 than are mentioned here. Let our friends then provide them- 

 selves with a small bottle the rounder the better well corked. 

 Through the cork insert a large quill, with a little plug to close 

 the outside end of it. Through the quill he drops in tiny 

 insects from the palm of the hand. He should put inside a 

 little blotting paper or crushed laurel leaf. An old umbrella, a 

 good strong water net, a large white canvas sweeping net and 

 a few small strong glass tubes to go in his waistcoat pocket 

 these will rig out our friend with almost all he wants. His 

 operations may be briefly summed up under six heads all 

 quite obvious : (i) turn over all decent sized stones ; (ii) beat 

 into umbrella trees and shrubs ; (iii) sweep herbage with the 

 bag net ; (iv) fish streams and ponds (particularly close to the 

 banks) with the water net j (v) shake out moss and litter of 

 every kind over paper ; (vi) cut up old bark and rotten tree 

 stumps with an old knife. A few words as to killing insects 



