338 THE CLOSE. 



the stucco beasts outside, although I had often discussed 

 them with poor Edward Forbes, who gave up a good 

 deal of his time to their fabrication and arrangement, as 

 well as to that of the ' human ' illustrations in the in- 

 terior 



"The other clay I was amused by the address on a 

 letter from a naturalist in Paris, who is rather proud of 

 his English : — 



' England, 



Sir James Wilson, 



Lover of Insects, 



Woodville, Edinburgh/ 

 He sends me a priced catalogue of Spanish and Al- 

 gerian beetles. Many of them are very beautiful, but I 

 have more insects already than I can keep in order, and 

 so must decline any additions, at least by purchase. 

 Talking of beetles: a good ninny of 'nine are getting a 

 little mouldy on the back, I suppose from being, many of 

 them, on a ground floor, and so seldom aired by being 

 looked at. As you can see small things close at hand, it 

 will surely be a good work, and a very useful one to me, 

 for you to undertake, — touching the backs of a lew thou- 

 sands with a fine hair pencil, dipped in alcohol. Spirit of 

 turpentine is fully the best, — the peculiar and penetrating- 

 odour being distasteful to insect life, and so keeping off 

 moths, &c. But the fumes, as I have found from ex- 



