6 



KNOWLEDGE, 



[January 1, 1S97. 



exquisite order, over which our eyes wander, fascinated by 

 their wondrous beauty, so apparent to the naked eye. 

 But these are not the insects which we desire to see. We 

 have our treasures in a very small bos, and we ask one of 

 the obliging "staff" to allow us to examine the British 

 Parasitic Hymenoptera, which are contained in a few 

 drawers, comprising the collections (or part) of such ento- 

 mologists as A. H. HaUday, lo whom we are indebted for 

 most of the drawings published. Francis Walker, too, 

 has added greatly to our knowledge of British Chalcididir, 

 and will always be gratefully remembered for the kindly 

 help which he so readily and ably gave when at the old 

 museum. Many specimens there are, too, collected by 

 Frederick Smith, to whom I am personally indebted for 

 much help. To these must be added the name of J. O. West- 

 wood, who was, without doubt, the most wonderful 

 entomological draughtsman. These grand old naturalists 

 have all passed away, and we look around in vain for those 

 who can fiU their vacant places. The enormous influx of 

 foreiiin specimens of all orders appears to have entirely 

 swamped our indigenous collections, the amount of study 

 and attention devoted to this branch of British entomology 

 being in strict proportion to the size, viz., microscopic. 



After spending some hours in examining and comparing 

 specimens we find our time is up, and the result of our 

 labour in naming very small. 



Subsequent visits to these collections did not prove very 

 helpful, for we were like the old farmer, who, when sipping 

 claret at a dinner, was asked how he was getting on, 

 replied, " I don't get no forarder ! "' 



This sage remark reminds me that I must endeavour to 

 go forward with the object I had in view when first taking 

 up my pen, and to impress upon all naturalists the im- 

 portance of keeping a daily journal of observations upon 

 insect life, noting down in black and white every fact 

 connected with the economy and habits of such insects as 

 we are studying or which pass under our observation. 

 There are many ways of keeping such journals. For my 

 own part I use a manuscript book, six and a half inches 

 wide by eight inches deep, each page cross-ruled into 

 quarter- inch squares, which give invaluable help when 

 drawing to any scale, and which can be decreased or 

 increased by again dividing the squares or doubling them. 

 Each page is headed with the year, the first two columns 

 are occupied by the day of the month, followed by a 

 consecutive number to each observation. These numbered 

 paragraphs are duly indexed under the various subjects 

 to which they refer. Specimens for the cabinet are 

 labelled with a corresponding number, while, in the case 

 of such mounted in balsam for the microscope, the number 

 is scratched on the glass with a writing diamond. When 

 some such plan of recording daily observations is kept, the 

 amount of information stored is astonishing. This, when 

 systematically arranged, often reveals the life history of 

 some insect almost complete, with only one or two missing 

 links, which should be specially marked to receive extra 

 attention during the next season. 



Owing to the irregular methods which some authors 

 adopt in their descriptions of insects, the task of naming 

 is made more difficult. No two insects are described in 

 the same order. Head, thorax, abdomen, legs and wings, 

 in one: then in the next some other plan, making com- 

 pariaon of parts most confusing, whereas a little more 

 thought would make examination far easier to both author 

 and student. 



So convinced am I of the advantages of thus doing, that 

 I have written out upon a piece of card the following 

 " instructions," which I place close to my microscope 

 whenever I am detcribing some new capture. 



Thorax. 



M'ings. 

 Legs. 



Obdee of Description. 

 Read. Size, shape, and sculptiu-e. 



Colour. 

 Ocelli. Positiou. 



Eyes. Colour, shape, and position. 



Maudihles. Colour and shape. 

 Troplii. Shape. Joints in palpi. 



Antennse. Comparative length. 



„ Number of joint i. 



,, Scape, colour, and shape. 



„ Pedicel, colour, and shape. 



„ Ring joints. 



,, Funicular joints. 



„ Club. 



,, Position when at rest, etc. 



Width and shape. 

 Colour, markings. 

 Sculpture. 

 Under side. 



Size, shape, neuration, colom*, cilia. 

 General length. 

 Colour. 



Coxie, trochantei's, colour, hairs, etc. 

 Femora, colour, hairs, etc. 

 Tibiie, colour, hairs, etc. 

 Tarsi. Xiimher of joints. 

 Abdomen. Petiolate, sessile or sub-sessile. 

 Colour and sluipe. 

 Pose. 



Ovipositor. 

 Genitalia. 



I venture to give these " instructions " to those who 

 are desirous of becoming something more than mere 

 collectors, and though such may, at first sight, appear 

 somewhat dry and monotonous, I can assure all young 

 naturalists that they will find such work most fascinating 

 as the eye becomes more highly educated in its power of 

 observation. 



These examinations must be carried on under the 

 microscope, with an inch and a half-inch objective. 

 Whenever it is possible, make out your descriptions from 

 livini/ insects, when so much more purpose can be seen in 

 the various parts, many of which contract and dry up out 

 of sight in a dead specimen. I often think that much of 



the dryness or dulness of de- 

 scriptive entomology is attribut- 

 able to the fact that it has been 

 made from lifeless creatures. 

 No doubt such work will try the 

 patience and temper of most of 

 us ; but the immense advantage 

 gained, enabling us to follow out 

 the movement and purpose of 

 almost every hair or peculiarly 

 formed spine, fully repays us 

 for the extra trouble. 



The pleasure and instruction 

 received when watchinga minute 

 fly confined in a small glass- 

 topped pill-box is most delightful. 

 The first operation engaged in 

 is to free itself from every 

 particle of dust and dirt. It is 

 when so occupied that we are 

 able to jot down our notes as 

 to the form and colour of some 

 of the most minute parts. The 

 pose, too, of the antennas, head, 

 and whole creature can only 

 be observed in a living insect ; the mysterious light in the 

 eyes and the ever-changing prismatic colours on the gauze- 

 like wings, all can be seen, and all appeal to our suscepti- 

 bilities. We feel that we have looked a little way above 

 and beyond such things as " the point of a needle highly 



Fio. 1. — Drawing of part 

 of the upper wing of a 

 minute Hymenopteron. 



