124 HAMPSHIRE DAYS 



those which excel in size or beauty, or which for some 

 other reason are specially attractive. For not only is 

 this corner of Hampshire most abounding in insect life, 

 but here, with a few exceptions, the kings and nobles of 

 the tribe may be met with. 



Merely to see these nobler insects as one may see 

 them here, as objects in the scene, and shining gems in 

 nature's embroidery, is a delight. And here it may be 

 remarked that the company of the entomologist is 

 often quite as distasteful to me out of doors as that of 

 the indoor-minded person who knows nothing about 

 insects except that they are a " nuisance." Entomo- 

 logist generally means collector, and his the ento- 

 mologist's admiration has suffered inevitable decay, 

 or rather has been starved by the growth of a more 

 vigorous plant the desire to possess, and pleasure in 

 the possession of, dead insect cases. 



One summer afternoon I was visiting at a parsonage 

 in a small New Forest village in this low district, when 

 my host introduced me to a friend of his, the vicar of a 

 neighbouring parish, remarking when he did so that I 

 would be delighted to know him as he was a great 

 naturalist. The gentleman smiled, and said he was not 

 a " great naturalist," but only a " Lepidopterist." Now 

 it happened that just then I had a lovely picture in my 

 mind, the vivid image of a humming-bird hawk-moth 

 seen suspended on his misty wings among the tall 

 flowers in the brilliant August sunshine. I had looked 

 on it but a little while ago, and thought it one of the 



