110 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



His work, justly recognised for its care and thoughtfulness, will be his 

 most fitting and lasting monument. To us, who have recently been 

 so intimately concerned in working out the excellent papers on the 

 Psi/chides, written some 40 years ago, his death comes as a personal 

 loss, and with a deep feeling of regret that another great master has 

 passed from among us. We trust that his types (and those of Herrich- 

 Schiiffer and Heinemann that are in his collection) will be obtained 

 for the use of future English students. 



The sale of the collection of lepidoptera made by the late Mr. S. 

 Stevens took place on March 27th-28th. Among the specimens were 

 many of Haworth's types, and other valuable historical material. We 

 suspected that the British Museum authorities would have recognised 

 the importance of obtaining these specimens and would have taken 

 steps to have annexed them for the National collection at the Natural 

 History Museum. It would appear, however, that lepidoptera are 

 about the last thing that the powers that be purchase now for the 

 collections. 



Speaking of the collections at South Kensington, one suspects that 

 they are intended primarily for the use of students. One is tempted 

 to ask Avhether the collection of Heterocera is, at the present time, of 

 the slightest use to real students. In working through the Psychids 

 we have found ourselves hampered at every turn (1) by the want of 

 material, (2) by the way in which so many species are incorrectly 

 named. One does not feel inclined to grumble if the official staff 

 cannot always name Fumeids, but one is staggered when one discovers 

 Frey and Zeller's examples of Ftilocephala aiuiHstdla, H.-Sch. ( = atra, 

 Esp.) and P. atra, Linn. {= pluwifera, Ochs.), all lumped into one 

 series, and now that our attention is being turned to the Lachneids, 

 the pairing off of a fine J Lasiocampa querciis with a pale male of 

 Pacln/nastria trifolii, the interchanging of females of Lachneis catax 

 and L. rimicola, and the union of Frey and Zeller's examples of the 

 allied Malacomma alpicola and M. franconica into one heterogeneous 

 series, are among our first discoveries. We have previously expressed 

 our regret that the authorities of the British Museum permitted any in- 

 terference with the collections of two such naturalists as Zeller and Frey, 

 and the injury done by their absorption in the general collection is, 

 scientifically, incalculable. Insects comprise four-fifths perhaps of the 

 fauna of the world. Their study is infinitely more intricate and 

 difficult than that of the Vertebrata, &c. We should be interested to 

 learn whether four-fifths of the money granted for purchases go to the 

 insect department, and if not what determines the percentage ? With 

 regard to the existing blanks of comparatively common species in the 

 collection, we gather incidentally that these are not likely to be 

 filled up, and the students and workers at lepidoptera will have to 

 struggle with the incomplete material at present there. What have 

 the Trustees, who are entomologists, to say in the matter ? Will they 

 not insist that a fair share of the money that is spent goes on insects, 

 other than those required for the work of the official staff ? 



The prices fetched for some of the specimens at the sale of the 

 " Sam Stevens' " collection were remarkably high and this was especi- 

 ally the case with the Rhopalocera^P«Vm claplidice, £1, 12s., 14s. (for 

 two) ; a fine ^ aberration of Kuvhlo'e cardaniines without central spot 

 and black tips to forewings, a 5 with exceptionally large central spots 



