NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF LEPIDOPTERA. 37 



been made, and that we have pressing need of assistance to com- 

 plete the collections. Incomplete collections, like bad lexicons, 

 are of very little use, and I most earnestly appeal for aid to all 

 naturalists (whether members of our Club or otherwise) who feel 

 an interest in the progress of science. In the present "race for 

 education" we must look forward to a great increase of students. 

 Natural History is being more and more taught in our schools, 

 and no doubt many of the young ideas will shoot towards Ento- 

 mology. Nothing encourages beginners so much as their being 

 able to name their captures with facility, and this they can do 

 most easily by comparing their specimens with those of a typical 

 collection. Books seem to be written more for the advanced na- 

 turalists than for the young ones. Full and well arranged col- 

 lections, being central and easily accessible, would also be of 

 great use to all, as no single collection can be expected to become 

 so complete as one filled by the united efforts of many workers. 

 There is also another view of the question which must not be 

 lost sight of. All classes admire Lepidoptera ; admiration often 

 leads to inquiry, and inquiry will show that Natural History is 

 something more than an array of unmeaning names. 



Contributions, if left with Mr. Wright, at the Museum, will 

 be thankfully acknowledged, and placed in the collections in the 

 donor's name. It will also afford me great pleasure if I can 

 assist any one to names for such species as they may have doubt 

 about, especially in Coleoptera and Hemiptera. 



III. — Note on the Occurrence of Lepidoptera in Northumberland 

 and Durham in 1872. By Thomas John Bold. 



Favoured by the notes of our colleague, Mr. "W. Maling, I again 

 have the honour of laying before the Societies a record of the 

 occurrence of local Lepidoptera during the past season. The 

 year 1872 will be long remembered in this district as one of a 

 most ungenial nature ; the spring and summer were cold and wet 

 throughout, except a few days in July and August, and oven 



