THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



out Bees and Plies that were filling my boxes to no advantage, and they have 

 been taken by those who valued them. I have also received a considerable 

 number of type specimen in various orders, named, the value of which I 

 have already found. As such a club gains in members, the various " sets " 

 can be so altered as to bring into regular exchange with each other, those 

 whose tastes are most nearly allied, while there would still be scope for 

 sufficient change in the circuits to give every one an opportunity 

 of continually seeing insects from fresh localities. By sending lists 

 of desiderata and duplicates to the secretary, he could bring into 

 communication those who could assist each other most in each 

 different order, and thus with constant change would be con- 

 tinued advantage for every one. These are chiefly "exchange" 

 advantages, which are not the most important. I have already 

 mentioned that the club brought under my notice a local form of 

 8. illunaria I had not previously seen. This is not by any means 

 the only instance of the kind, but it is enough for illustration. Such specimens 

 are duly commented on in the " note book/' and the attention of all the 

 members called to them. If they are new to all, we thus learn they are 

 apparently peculiar to the locality. If, instead of that being the case, they 

 prove common to every one, then the first recipient will have reason to 

 believe the form he takes to be something unusual. In either case the 

 advantage is the same, and the knowledge gained, the direct result of the 

 club. With named varieties equal advantages accrue. Many very distinct 

 forms of various species bear names that are little known or used in Britain, 

 and though British insects vary much more iu proportion than do Continen- 

 tal ones, yet there are more named forms known there than here. The fact 

 is Continental collectors have paid more attention to local variation than we 

 have, with all our advantages, and their writers have described and named 

 these forms freely. Here and there in Britain a collector has given special 

 attention to these points, and when such an one belonged the club he would 

 greatly benefit the others by naming for them the local forms, &c, that he 

 found in their boxes. Besides naming varieties, such a club affords oppor- 

 tunity of having unknown species correctly named. Several cases have already 

 occurred where duplicates were sent out wrongly named, and the nomen- 

 clature was quickly corrected. Specimens are also sent round specially to 

 be named, returning in due course to the owner with the name and any com- 

 ments likely to be interesting. 



Much more might be said, but readers and members must find out the rest 

 for themselves. My special object is to appeal for additional members. Only 

 two sets are rilled up, and a few additional names for another. I am pre- 



