15 



found them (even perfect strangers), ready to help with 

 advice, instruction, and duplicates. Who has not, when out 

 in the fields, or woods, been welcomed by a " brother of the 

 net," and stopped and had a friendly chat, and inspected 

 each others' specimens, and probably made a friendship that 

 may last a life-time. 



And now that I have advocated the cause, I should like 

 with your permission to utter a few words of caution and 

 advice. The tendency amongst all beginners is to see how 

 quickly the cabinet can be filled v/ith the different species : 

 they are collected, set, and placed in their allotted spaces, 

 without a second thought as to their life - history and 

 anatomy. I have looked over a great many collections, but 

 the majority have been collections of the perfect insects only. 

 Now, for scientific purposes, this is of little use. Side by side 

 should be placed the egg, larva, pupa, and imago. Then the 

 collection is of real value for instruction and reference. Even 

 the non-scientific person is more attracted to the drawer 

 which contains the life history of a species. 



With regard to studying the anatomy, the hindrance to 

 this is, that it requires a microscope, entailing a. little expense ; 

 but much may be done with the use of a pocket lens, costing 

 a few shillings. 



To the possessor of a compound microscope the insect 

 w^orld will afford an unlimited store of objects for his in- 

 vestigation. What can be more beautiful than the minute 

 scales from the wing of a lepidopteron ; and even rubbed and 

 discarded specimens, too bad for the cabinet, may be brought 

 into use. The wings, after the scales are rubbed off, are 

 found to be full of minute depressions, in which the stalks of 

 the scales were placed in such a position, that they lapped 

 over each other like the tiles on a house. The shapes of the 

 scales are very variable, according to the part of the wing 

 they are taken from ; and as nothing is done in nature with- 

 out order, it is probable that some day they may assist in a 

 more correct classification. 



The spiracles or breathing mouths of insects are exceedingly 



