4 Mr. Kirby^s Address at the 



Transactions of our venerable Parent Society. This would be 

 inconsistent with the nature of a Fauna, which ought to be pub- 

 lished in a different form, and appeal more directly to the public 

 for support on the ground of its own merits. 



Another important object of our association with regard to in- 

 digenous Zoology is this — That insulated observations made by 

 individuals upon the habits and economy of animals may not be 

 lost. Few persons have an opportunity of tracing the whole pro- 

 ceedings and life of any species of animal ; but almost every one 

 has it in his power to relate some interesting trait, to record some 

 illustrative anecdote, of the beings that he beholds moving around 

 him in every direction. None of these fragments should be lost,, 

 since each may lead to important conclusions; and the whole con- 

 centrated may often form a tolerable comment, and throw great 

 light on some perplexing text of nature. Under this head I may 

 observe, that peculiar care and caution are requisite in noting the 

 habitats and food of animals, particularly insects ; since great 

 mistakes have arisen, and been propagated by high authority*, 

 from collectors being too hasty in forming their opinions on 

 this subject. 



Bare catalogues of the animals of a district, as such, are of little 

 interest or utility ; but when the localities of the jinimalia ra- 

 riora are given, or a district catalogue is worked into a catalogue 

 raisonnee, and includes facts before unknown with regard to the 

 animals it registers, it becomes a useful document. To note the soil, 

 the kind of country and atmosphere that particular animals affect, 

 makes such a catalogue more interesting. The relative propor- 

 tion, where glimpses of it can be obtained, that different species 

 bear to each other, or their numerical distribution in any given 

 district, is a speculation worthy of the attention of the zoologist j 

 and likewise to obtain as full an account as possible of those 

 which are particularly detrimental to us either in the garden, the 

 orchard, the forest, or the field. 



* For instance, Curculio jilliaricB L. {Ryncliites Herbst) really feeds upon the 

 hawthorn, from which it may readily be conceived to drop frequently upon 

 Erysimum AUiaria, which always grows in hedges ; and Rynchcenus Fragarice 

 F. {Orchestes OViY .) feeds upon the beech, from which it may have dropped- 

 upon the strawberry. 



