216 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ON LABELLING INSECTS. 

 By T. B. Fletcher, R.N., F.E.S. 



Mr. Brunetti's article on labelling {ante, p. 172) will appeal 

 to every entomologist, whatever his particular speciality. There 

 are of course some who do not label their captures at all, either 

 because "it is too much trouble," or because they think " labels 

 spoil the appearance of the collection " ; but the number of 

 these is happily becoming every jea.i' small by degrees and 

 beautifully less, and to them my remarks are not addressed. 

 Everyone else will agree that labelling is not only useful, but 

 absolutely essential ; but at the same time, as Mr. Brunetti 

 says, there is a great lack of uniformity in the matter, for each 

 has his own particular method. The question then is — what is 

 the best system ? 



The ideal method would doubtless be to have attached to 

 every specimen its full history, i. e. the zoo-geographical region, 

 country, district, and place of capture, the date (day, month, 

 and year), climatic conditions (height above sea-level, tempera- 

 ture, nature of soil, vegetation, &c.), habits, name of collector, 

 &c. ; but in practice it will be found that this cannot be carried 

 out. The modified method which I use is as follows : — 



1 have a book in which all acquisitions are entered under 

 the headings of Number, Name and Sex, Date, Locality, and 

 Remarks. Examples : — 



Each specimen thus has a distinguishing number, which, 

 with the principal particulars (country, locality, and date), is 

 placed on the label, which is itself attached to the specimen. 

 The labels would then read : — 



