4 
, 
. 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 103 
that Dasycampa rubiginea has done so also. But I may as 
well observe here, to prevent disappointment or the trouble 
of correspondence, that any duplicate eggs I may have of the 
above are all promised: It is strange that Taniocampa 
instabilis, which is supposed to be “ generally common and 
distributed,” did not appear. Perhaps [ shall see it later on 
in the season. 
GervASE F. MATHEW. 
Instow, North Devon, 
April 3, 1875. 
Collecting as it was, and as it now is. By H.R. Cox, Esq. 
COLLECTING is at present carried on very differently from 
how it was fifteen or twenty years ago.. It is now much harder 
work than it was then, owing to the great number there are in 
the field. So far so good; but (which is much to be lamented) 
the good old free spirit of collecting is rarely to be found. 
Years ago, when a few entomologists started on a day’s 
ruralizing, what unbiassed delight was experienced and 
evinced by us all! We started at early morn, intent on one 
object,—a day’s thorough and innocent enjoyment. If one 
of our number captured a rarity we all were pleased ; how we 
congratulated him, and loved to admire his specimen! If the 
rest of us were unfortunate there was no grumbling, no unplea- 
sant exhibition of the “ green-eyed monster ;” there were no 
insinuations of Mr. Dealer So-and-so having that season 
imported a few gross of continental pupew, and of having 
placed them in the woods for development, with a view to 
“ making” them “ British.” 
The object was, then, principally a day’s innocent pleasure, 
and not so much with a view to amassing a large number of 
specimens in the shortest possible time. We want some of 
that collecting spirit now, for the pleasure of entomological 
rambles is comparatively little sought after; it is, “ Who has 
the largest collection?” And much to the disgrace to many 
of our time, if collectors cannot get their coveted specimens 
by honest exertions, they will cheat in exchanging (or 
“bartering,” as one of our best Lepidopterists facetiously 
termed it); or else procure foreign specimens, and insert 
them as British. Shame on these collectors; their originally 
