216 Mr. Otto Meske"s Collection of Lepidoptera. 



discovery of new species of butterflies, continually pouring 

 in upon him from the prolific field of our not half explored 

 western territories. So, too, Scudder has unexpectedly 

 found the illustration of the Butterflies of New England, a 

 work so growing upon his hands, that a devotion to it for 

 five years has not sufficed for its completion. 



Mr. Meske's collection numbers, probably, about three 

 thousand examples, nearly all of which have been authen- 

 tically determined, and each carefully labeled with name, 

 date of capture and locality. The Rhopalocera (butterflies), 

 ^Egeridse, Sphingidse, Zygyenidse, Bombycidse and the Cato- 

 calas are arranged in fourteen wall cases of eighteen by 

 twenty-four inches, like those before us this evening; the 

 smaller Noctuidse, G-eometridee and the Microlepidoptera 

 are contained in a cabinet of drawers. It is mainly a New 

 York collection ; yet systematically arranged with it are very 

 many of the European forms (perhaps constituting one- 

 fourth of the entire collection), most of which have been 

 received in exchange with the eminent Prussian entomolo- 

 gist, Dr. Speyer, probably the best lepidopterist of the age, 

 with whom Mr. Meske has enjoyed the privilege of an 

 intimate correspondence for years. The European forms 

 in the collection are indicated by a green etiquette, the Ame- 

 rican ones by a white, and the comparatively few which are 

 regarded as common to both countries by a red etiquette. 



The beautiful condition of these examples before referred 

 to, is owing, first, to the fact that very many of them have 

 been obtained in the larva state, and carried through their 

 transformations to their winged form, thereby ensuring 

 perfect specimens; and second, to the extreme care given 

 them in their preparation, with the skillful manipulation 

 which continued practice has brought. The specimens 

 captured in the field have not been treated after the old 

 method of holding in one hand by the wings, while the other 

 is applied to the thorax, pinching out their life, form, and 

 often beauty, together. Secured at first in a filmy gauze 



