214 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



due the honour of its first discovery, and I think it was announced by him 

 in the " Zoologist," under the name of Canastomsis. I purchased specimens 

 from him, long before the new light sent specimens north. I exhibited my 

 original specimens side by side with his, at the Northern Entomological 

 Society, and claimed for Weaver his right. Eggs of the then recently dis- 

 covered Folk stone species were distributed at the meeting, and from these eggs 

 broods were bred year after year, and twice a year, sometimes by myself and 

 others, until the store boxes of the amateurs were full, and the dealers got them 

 for taking them away, and more then once to my knowledge, box and contents. 

 It has been from these duplicates bred from Folkstone (?) captures that the 

 northern cabinets have been supplied, yes, and many a southern one also has 

 specimens set by myself, which I gave by the boxful to a struggling London 

 dealer a few years ago. "Whether either of these species are taken now 1 

 know not, but I do not doubt dispar can still be taken at Onger Park, Epp- 

 ing, if searched for, or that anclwreta can be got near Folkstone. Weaver 

 never told exactly where he got his stock in trade, and the amateur dealers 

 are not suspected of doing so to-day ! 



In the " Entomologists' Annual/' 1856, page 31, Weaver's discovery of 

 D. ebernata—contiguaria is announced as taken in Wales. He used to post 

 his letters from the place he did not collect his prizes at, thus he used to 

 write from Abergele, a town in North Wales, where of all places in Wales 

 the least collecting can be done around it : but he collected beyond the next 

 station — Llandulus, one of the very best localities for collecting in Wales 

 (lime quarries and coast). If Weaver understood his business so well, then 

 may not our amateur dealers have learnt just a little how not to tell exactly 

 in all these years, and so keep dispar and anchoreta as silver mines in reserve 

 for themselves. In any case, 1 hardly think the professional dealers in lepi- 

 doptera, would care to import species so valueless as L. dispar and C. 

 aaachoreta are, whilst they have the range of rare British species open to 

 them, and which they can and do buy or order on the Continent, for a few 

 fennings, or franks, or krewtzers, and sell for as many shillings or pounds to 

 foolish persons who ask no questions. I had a commercial traveller from a 

 London dealer here recently. He had, I think, every rare species in our lists 

 with him, and showed his stock in the regular way : was a nice man, and I 

 made him comfortable, but told him he was out of place in Lancashire, the 

 Lancashire men being entomologists not collectors. I showed him British 

 specimens against his foreign ones of several species ; true, his specimens were 

 set on legitimate Taylor & Co's. pins, and in English style, but the difference 

 was so perceptable, that he observed " I am told to sell them as British ! " 

 This brings me back to L. dispar and C. anachoreta. Though the first varies 



