THE ATTRACTIONS OF ENTOMOLOGY 169 



hours and holiday trips. Searching for specimens invests the 

 ordinary aimless walk with quite an absorbing interest; 

 mounting the preparations affords a pleasant occupation for 

 rainy weather, whilst the completed collection forms a most 

 delightful and instructive souvenir for subsequent reference 

 during long winter evenings, particularly if its examination 

 be aided by a microscope and well illustrated books on the 

 subject. But let it not be forgotten that collection, pre- 

 servation, and classification, are merely means to an end, 

 and form only an introduction to the study of entomology 

 proper. This really consists in investigating the living insect 

 during all phases of its existence; its birth, development and 

 education; its habits and mode of life; the nature of its 

 nourishment and methods of obtaining it; its courtship and 

 marriage; its relation to its fellow creatures; its character 

 and mental capacity; the wonderful powers and strange 

 limitations of its instinct; in short a complete investigation 

 of the niche each particular insect occupies in the great 

 scheme of Nature and the qualifications of mind and body it 

 possesses for fulfilling its "destined end and way." 



Along such lines this most captivating subject furnishes 

 any intelligent observer with abundant opportunities for 

 adding to our stores of useful information, and at the same 

 time, like every other branch of Nature study, it brings the 

 thoughtful mind into close association with the hidden my- 

 steries of the Universe — for Nature is indeed the chief, if 

 not the only, infallible medium, through which we are able 

 to comprehend somewhat of the wonder workings of the 

 Infinite. 



Note.— By kind permission of the Curator, Dr. Stanley, a selection of 

 specimens mounted by the above process, will be kept on view 

 at the Eoyal Asiatic Society's Museum during the next few 

 months. 



