209 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
THE VANDALISM OF COLLECTORS. 
Under this title Mr. S. L. Bensusan writes in Cassell’s 
Magazine for May, and opines that ‘it is not altogether for 
the good of the world at large that nature study has developed 
so rapidly of late.’ Whilst there is much in the article with 
which all naturalists wilt agree, we are certainly of the opinion 
that the increased interest now being taken in natural history 
is beneficial in many ways. ‘ Collecting,’ as such, is not now 
encouraged, and never before have the mammals, birds, insects 
and plants been so well protected as they are to-day. In- 
fluential Societies, land-owners, the police, and last, but by 
no means least, the teachers in our schools are all doing much 
to preserve our native fauna and flora. The camera, too, 
is an excellent aid, and enables a naturalist to confirm his 
records without ‘ collecting’ the specimens themselves. 
THE VALUE OF COLEECTIONS. 
Mr. Bensusan goes on to say that the position is ‘ the more 
serious because the area of uncultivated ground in these 
islands is very small, and the collector is ubiquitous.’ We do 
not deny that there are collectors who are doing harm; and 
there always were, and: probably always will be. At the present 
time, however, his opportunities are not so great : his chances 
for ‘exchanging,’ or worse still, trading, are less and less; 
and the value of his work is not now gauged by the number of 
eggs or insects or plants in his collection. The collector’s 
craving can, now-a-days, be met, as suggested by Mr. Bensusan,; 
by developing into ‘the amiable harmless philatelist,’ without 
‘exterminating’ anything. Whilst on the question of the 
harm that is doubtless done by collectors pure and simple (if 
such terms can apply to collectors!) we are in agreement with 
Mr. Bensusan ; we certainly are of the opinion that the present 
increased interest in Nature is more beneficial than harmful, 
and, therefore, differ from him in considering that the great 
interest nowadays in nature study is, on the whole, to be 
regretted. 
BRADFORD PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 
The Bradford Philosophical Society has come to an end. 
Its history has been one of falling and rising again. The 
original society was founded in 1808, but its term of existence 
was not known exactly. A fresh start was made in 1823, but 
that society was eventually nipped in the bud by the then vicar 
of the town, who was afraid that philosophical lectures were 
disturbing. Another start was made with renewed vigour 
in 1839, but the new society only lasted four or five years. 
In 1864 another effort was made, under the secretaryship of 
19g June r. 
O 
