Insects. 5535 



principle as this which actuated Linneus, Kirby and a host of others, whose names are 

 reverentially remembered by us, their humble but zealous followers! Oh! then, once 

 more, I would appeal to your better feelings : abjure these miserable and contemptible 

 practices— be honest, just and straightforward ! Perhaps in so doing your collection 

 may be smaller, but your peace of mind and self-esteem will be proportionably 

 greater. In all good will and fellowship, your brother entomologist — Joseph. Greene ; 

 Play ford, Ipswich, February 12, 1857. 



Honesty and Dishonesty.— -There is a great deal to be said upon the subject of ex- 

 changing or purchasing insects — of honest or dishonest dealers — of honest or dishonest 

 collectors. It is a very sad thing to know that there are men who will prostitute the 

 honour and dignity of Science, and degrade the very name of Entomology, by having 

 recourse to dishonest conduct. Talking to a valued friend last year, in my garden, 

 I was almost horrified by being told that such is the low moral standing among ento- 

 mologists that, were a new insect to be discovered, there are vast numbers of collectors 

 who would at once doubt the genuineness of the discovery ! Such a state of things is 

 not only abnormal — it is positively disgraceful, and it must, if not checked, ultimately 

 destroy that unreserved communication which prevails among the votaries of other 

 branches of Science. Fancy a high-minded, honourable man, devoted to the charming- 

 pursuit of Entomology, having even the faintest breath of suspicion thrown upon the 

 successful fruits of his zeal and industry! Fancy the possibility of some vulgar 

 brute getting up in some Societies' meetings, and doubting the genuineness of the said 

 enthusiast's last discovery ! Why such a contre temps as this would drive nine hundred 

 and ninety-nine out of every thousand gentlemen out of the field of Science in disgust 

 for ever; and yet I am told, and read in publications, that such a thing is more than 

 probable. Now I wish to say a word or two upon such an unsatisfactory state of things : 

 and first as to the cause of the evil. This seems clear enough : there are dishonest 

 dealers and dishonest collectors (I quote from a publication called 'The Sub- 

 stitute'), " simply and entirely on account of the tremendous prices that certain persons 

 will give for rarities, and such prices operate as great temptations to men of small 

 means and principle." I believe this to be perfectly true ; and I think the remedy is 

 equally obvious : this "temptation to men of small means and principle" must be at 

 once and for ever removed. There are two ways, in my opinion, by which this can be 

 effectually done, provided British collectors are firm enough and honest enough to 

 adopt either alternative at once. My first remedy was, I think, shadowed forth in one 

 of the leading articles of the 'Intelligencer' of last year: it is that of admitting at 

 once into our cabinets foreign specimens of those insects which are rare here and 

 desiderata in our collections, and marking them as such. Thus, if a rare insect is 

 taken, it will continue to be a great prize with its captor, but its money value will be 

 gone, inasmuch as a series may be purchased from any of our respectable dealers for 

 an old song. Iu my collection of British eggs the majority are of course foreign 

 specimens, but no one pretends that a collection of eggs is deteriorated by this un- 

 avoidable necessity. I will anticipate one or two objections to this plan. 1st. Tt is 

 said our collections of insects will get so mixed that it will, in time, be impossible to 

 say which are English and which foreign specimens. If this objection were sound, 

 the grievance would not be so great as that which obtains by dishonestly mixing up 

 species ; but I do not think the objection will hold water: the commonest precaution 

 would prevent a specimen marked " F." from being confounded with one labelled " B." 

 Take away the money value inducement, and depend upon it the insects would keep 



