OBSERVATIONS. 



211 



own. Having grown what some would call more callous, 

 others, less squeamish, we have, since, been the voluntary 

 agents of insect extinction, though only when absolutely 

 essential to the purposes of our pursuit. We have elsewhere 

 offered, as we hope, an ample defence for "our hobby" on 

 this its seemingly objectionable side; but that defence was 

 addressed to the reason rather than the feelings, consequently 

 not to the very young. We would not even desire that the 

 very young should be permitted to begin the study of insects 

 by their collection ; but it is different as life advances : for 

 ourselves, at least, we can affirm safely that, though we do 

 occasionally add a beetle or a butterfly to our collection, the 

 acquisition is always made at the cost of a degree of not 

 diminished pain, and we were never so careful, as now, to 

 avoid aught that may uselessly injure or torment one of the 

 insect crew. 



