INTRODUCTION. 73 



race that, subsisting entirely on hunting and fishing, 

 must often be reduced to great straits*. 



These insects were, no doubt, the first that at- 

 tracted the attention of naturalists, in consequence 

 of their imposing appearance and striking metamor- 

 phoses. Collections of them began to be made at 

 an early time, and were valued not only by the 

 lover of nature, but by those who had no farther or 

 more worthy design in view than to possess them 

 as objects highly ornamental. Very extensive col- 

 lections exist in nearly all the principal cities and 

 museums of Europe ; and many are to be found 

 throughout Britain, not only belonging to public 

 institutions for promoting natural history, but also 

 in the possession of private individuals. One of the 

 best conditioned collections of exotic lepidoptera in 

 this country, is that in the possession of the East 

 India Company, made in Java by Dr. Horsfield. 

 As the method followed hy that gentleman for pre- 

 serving his specimens was attended with great suc- 

 cess, the following account of it will be interesting 

 and useful to those who have opportunities of mak- 

 ing collections in foreign countries : — " During the 

 inquiries I made," says Dr. Horsfield, " in the early 

 part of my residence in Java, to become acquainted 

 with the best methods for securing what I obtained 

 in my excursions, I noticed the plan described by 

 Le Vaillant in his Travels in Africa, for the preser- 

 vation of entomological collections. It is the fol- 

 lowing : — Boxes or chests carefully made of light 

 * Bridg. Treat, ii. 350. 



