266 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



[This note arrived after the publication of the February 

 number. In reply, I may say that I have had no experience 

 in breeding Liparis dispar. English specimens, either as 

 eggs or larvae, are not to be obtained, but, as in silkworms, a 

 domesticated race of the insect is constantly maintained. 

 Perhaps some of my correspondents will relate their expe- 

 rience. — E. Newman.^ 



Exchanging. — The discontinuance of the Exchange CUib, 

 which has been carried on by myself and Mr. Marsden since 

 1868, would seem to suggest the desirability of a little expla- 

 nation, as the experience we have gained may prove useful, 

 should any such ckib be established by others, which we 

 hope will some day be done. Notwithstanding the inconve- 

 nience of a defective centre, like Gloucester, where the 

 deficiency of entomologists rendered the work too onerous, 

 the practicability of a legitimate system of exchanging has 

 been fairly demonstrated during the three seasons of the 

 club's existence. The subscription being fixed so low as 

 half-a-crown, and the expenses of bringing the club before 

 the entomological public being much greater the first two 

 years than they would be subsequently, left a considerable 

 deficit at the end of 1869; but this was nearly obliterated in 

 1870; and had the club been continued another season there 

 would have been a small credit-balance to purchase insects 

 for distribution. But the secretary, Mr. Marsden, has been 

 obliged to resign from ill health. The results of the three 



years may be roughly tabulated thus : — 



No. of 

 No. of Of whom specimens 



members. contributed. received. 



1868 26 20 2800 



1869 46 38 5000 



1870 42 31 5200 



Of these 13,000 specimens fully half were of little or no 

 value, on account of their being badly set or in bad condition ; 

 but all that have been worth sending, and many, indeed, that 

 were not, have been distributed. Many very good local 

 species have been sent to the club, but no rarities, which 

 were, in* fact, not to be ex])ectcd. Every effort was directed 

 to make the distribution as fairly as possible, in proportion to 

 the relative value of the specimens received; and v\ith the 

 exception of two members in 1869, and two in 1870, all have 



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