5534 Insects. 



pleasure-seeker a pursuit fully as exciting as that of vice, with this further recom- 

 mendation, that it is not only innocent, but essentially useful. 4thly. It is calculated 

 to exalt the religious tone. If, as few will deny, the study of Nature tends to the 

 study of Nature's God, — if, when beholding the mightier and more sublime works of 

 creation, we cannot but recognise the hand of the Creator, surely when we examine 

 the wonderful order, arrangement, decoration and mechanism of these, its minims, we 

 cannot but be led at times to think of Him who is the sole Maker of all things, whether 

 " in heaven above, or the earth beneath, or the water under the earth." Now these 

 four results may be termed an "ascending scale," — i.e. the first is likely to create the 

 second, the second the third, &c. I think I am not mistaken in saying that nine- 

 tenths of the lovers of Entomology have been, in the first instance, attracted to the 

 pursuit of it by the marvellous beauty, endless variety and astonishing transformations 

 which characterize these at once lovely and wonderful productions of an All-wise 

 mind and an Almighty hand. A friend comes to look at your collection (possibly with 

 ill-disguised contempt for the collector) ; but as drawer after drawer discloses its 

 brilliant treasures — as his eye is dazzled with a gorgeous metallic colouring that mocks 

 the hue of the rainbow, or gratified with the most delicate tracery and penciling, con- 

 tempt merges in delight and admiration. Proceed to tell him of wonderful transfor- 

 mations — of the pleasures of rearing, sugaring, ivying, pupa-digging, &c, and the 

 torch is kindled, and he becomes a collector. Some remain mere collectors all their 

 lives, while others (and, I would hope, not a few) progress in the manner already 

 alluded to : that some do, I know; and I hesitate not to say that it would be strong 

 prima facie evidence with me of a man's moral and religious condition that he was a 

 student of some branch of Natural History ; but unhappily there is nothing good 

 which cannot be made bad, or used which may not be abused. Those whose progress 

 never extends beyond the first result (making a collection) are too often actuated by a 

 miserable, paltry and contemptible ambition — the ambition of having the "com- 

 pletest" collection: this ambition "grows with the growth " of the collection, vires 

 acquirit eundo, and at length attains such a height that the collector at last loses sight 

 of even common honesty : those persons adopt for their motto the advice of the father 

 celebrated by Horace, " rem : si possis, recte ; si non, quocunque raodo, rem," which, 

 being translated by the unscrupulous collector, means, " Mr. A. has an Empyrea, I have 

 not, but have it I must, — honestly, if possible, — but, if not, I must still have it, some 

 way or another." Accordingly, after having tried, possibly for a season or two, to 

 obtain the insect honestly, but without success, he proceeds dishonestly, and buys for 

 threepence or so, an insect, which, if a genuine British specimen, would possibly cost 

 as many pounds, — or obtains the eggs or pupae from abroad, and having bred the insect 

 in England, attempts in this way to escape the charge of telling a direct falsehood 

 when he asserts that it is an English specimen. Such a man is beneath contempt. 

 Many are the methods employed by these men, but I love not to dwell on them. 

 Suffice it to say that the system is now carried to such an extent that we know not 

 whom to trust or believe, and I therefore now appeal to one and all my brother ento- 

 mologists to set their face against it. I would appeal to the honourable, the moral, 

 the religious feelings of those who may have been or are guilty of such practices. Do 

 not bring disgrace on yourselves — on the noble and elevating, but abused pursuit you 

 follow — on Him whose creatures you are, in common with those you profess to study ! 

 Do not let the entomologist be pointed at with the finger of scorn ! Do not give so 

 apt and ready a handle to the derider of our favourite pursuit! It was not such a 



