THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



73 



THE BUCKLER COLLECTION. 



By JOHN HENDERSON. 



Through the courtesy of the present owner, I have had opportunities to 

 inspect this interesting collection on three occasions recently, and thinking 

 the result may be of interest to the readers of the Young Naturalisf, I have 

 taken a few notes of its contents and general appearance. 



The late Mr. William Buckler, of Emsworth, who was well known by the 

 majority of our older entomologists, was noted chiefly for his indefatigable 

 work amongst the larvae of our British Lepidoptera. Most of the best des- 

 criptions of larvse given in " Newman's British M oths " were from Mr. Buck- 

 ler's pen, and being also an admirable artist, he has left a large number of 

 life-like drawings, which the Ray Society are now publishing; the first volume 

 of which, treating of the larvse of our British Diurni, being already issued. 

 A special interest, consequently attached to Mr. Buckler's cabinet, which 

 contains the actual specimens bred from the larvse he has figured, and which 

 are now illustrated in the Ray Society's publication. 



Unfortunately, in many instances, we are unable to identify the exact 

 insect, but the notes in his cabinet index, are a valuable guide ; and we are 

 assured that all are included in his long rows of species, which remain undis- 

 turbed exactly as Mr. Buckler has placed them in the drawers. The col- 

 lection is especially rich in bred specimens. To attempt to describe all would 

 be impossible, row after row being in the finest possible condition. It would 

 not be perhaps what is styled a modern collection, as it is not particularly 

 rich in the varieties that are now so much sought after ; the abnormal forms 

 of caja and grossulariata (the Tigers and Magpies), so numerous in other 

 cabinets, are not included. There are few of the montrosities which are so 

 highly prized in some quarters. When we remember, however, that in a col- 

 lection recently disposed of in public auction, the fine hermaphrodite carda- 

 mines (one wing male and the other of the opposite sex), turned out, on 

 being subjected to treatment in a relaxing box, to be nothing but cleverly 

 joined halves of each insect, wings of male being inserted with microscopic 

 accuracy on the female, &c, we are led to infer that all is not gold that 

 glitters, and an honest series is more worthy of a genuine entomologist, than 

 manufactured varieties. 



The greater part of this collection are unmistakeably in Mr. Buckler's own 

 setting, but there are some valuable specimens, the gift of his old friends 

 Henry Doubleday (of Epping), the Rev. J. Hellins, the Rev. Joseph Greene 

 (of pupa digging fame), and many others ; there are few, if any, purchased 

 insects in the whole cabinet, A fine English Antiopa first strikes the eye, the 



