2 DR. BRACKENRIDGE CLEMENS' LETTERS. 



your freedom, your laws, your literature, your manners and 

 customs, and even Old England's nursery songs whilst in our 

 cradles, and will you not also let us sit at the feet of the 

 Mother and become her pupils and assistants in Science ? 

 You are probably well aware but little has been accomplished 

 in the Entomological Department of Natural History in this 

 country by our own students ; few pursue it as scientific 

 observers, and of these few not more than one or two have 

 published their observations, except in a manner which makes 

 them almost inaccessible to the young student. Hence it is 

 that with us the study is found to be one of much difficulty 

 and full of sources of discouragement, to which may be added 

 the expostulations of friends against devoting time to a study 

 so barren in the great utilitarian results attainable in other 

 departments of science. 



I have devoted my attention almost exclusively to Lepi- 

 doptera why I do not know, unless I was first attracted by 

 their beautiful colourings and of this order more especially 

 to Heterocera. The field for observation here is almost un- 

 limited, poorly cultivated and abounding in the most interest- 

 ing and beautiful undescribed rarities. It will give me great 

 pleasure to make a collection for you during the present 

 season, if you desire it, but you must not expect me to name 

 many of them, for that is impossible with my present acquire- 

 ments. I approach with hesitation the chief object I had in 

 writing to you, lest requests of a similar nature may be so 

 numerous as to render its fulfilment a matter of difficulty or 

 embarrassment to you. But if you can spare me a box of 

 duplicate Lepidoptera, it would be esteemed a great favour, 

 and would I am confident be the means of lightening the 

 laboriousness of classification and of advancing me more 

 rapidly in my studies. The possession of accurately classified 

 and named specimens would facilitate the recognition of 

 members of the same families and genera in a far greater 

 degree than descriptions and delineations. I have already 

 spent a considerable amount in the purchase of illustrated 

 works, and have in nearly every case had reason to regret the 



