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and 1840 there appeared his great work in sixteen volumes, "British 

 Entomology," which is universally considered to contain some of the 

 best entomological figures in existence. The work does not treat of 

 all species, but comprises illustrations and descriptions of the various 

 genera of all orders of insects, many of the plates portraying life- 

 histories being noteworthy works of art. Later in his life he brought 

 out a comprehensive and valuable work, " Farm Insects : the Natural 

 History and Economy of Insects Injurious to the Field Crops ot 

 Great Britain," a book equally well illustrated. He passed through 

 the Chair of the Entomological Society of London. 



James Francis Stephens, even as a lad, was an enthusiastic collector 

 of insects. At the early age of sixteen he began to prepare a catalogue 

 of British insects. His chief work was " Illustrations of British Ento- 

 mology : a Synopsis of Indigenous Insects," which was published 

 from 1827-1846. The intention was to describe and classify all 

 known British species, but this idea was never completed. Perhaps 

 that portion (four volumes) comprising the Lepidoptera is the most 

 complete section. These four volumes are one of the best systematic 

 works on our Lepidoptera that we have. Still, there is much that is 

 superficial and erroneous, descriptions, etc., being incorporated from 

 untrustworthy sources, without comparison and verification. His 

 " Manual of British Coleoptera," although now completely out of 

 date, for many years served its purpose. In 1829 the work he had 

 commenced as a boy was completed — " A Systematical Catalogue of 

 British Insects," enumerating more than 10,000 indigenous species. 

 Although a Government official he wrote extensively for magazines, 

 natural histories, society transactions, and assisted in the arrange- 

 ment of the British Museum collections. We are told that he was 

 a most estimable man, throwing open his huge collections and his 

 library to every entomologist, and imparting information to one and 

 all with the utmost readiness. At his death, in 1852, his collections 

 went to the British Museum ; his extensive library came into the 

 possession of Stainton, and now, through the liberality of Mrs. 

 Stainton, many of these historic volumes are on the shelves of the 

 Entomological Society of London. Possibly nothing did more, 

 during the first half of the nineteenth century, to aid the progress 

 of the study of entomology than the genial sociability of James 

 Francis Stephens. 



Most of the works on entomology up to the middle of the nine- 

 teenth century, even those of a popular character, were expensive, 

 and consequently limited in tiieir circulation. It was not until 

 1856, when Stainton commenced to issue his "Manual of British 

 Butterflies and Moths " in threepenny monthly parts, that a book 

 scientifically accurate, and at the same time cheap and popular in 

 form, was issued. Stainton was a man of independent means, and, 

 like Stephens, threw open liis collections and library, and freely 

 imparted his knowledge to one and all who were interested in his 

 favourite study. Especially did he welcome the beginner, "tyro," as 



