THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



But when a collection becomes large, even 

 this is a great strain on the memory which 

 sometimes gets — well, not so good as it 

 once was, and the wisest of us may forget. 

 Besides, he who formed the collection will 

 some day pass away, and take all this 

 knowledge with him. His insects will 

 still have a value, of course, but the special 

 value they had when he was alive has 

 gone from them. No one else knows 

 whether this specimen was obtained on the 

 peat or the chalk, by the sea coast or on an 

 inland moor, in the north or the south, and 

 thus all scientific value is lost, and a mere 

 collection of insects remains. Like lost 

 papers, " of no value but to the owner," 

 the finest cabinet in the world might by 

 death become of no scientific value at all. 

 Now it is very easy so to form your col- 

 lections that all the knowledge you have 

 of your insects shall be left with them. 

 It is very little trouble when done regu- 

 larly and from the first, and there are 

 snore ways than one of accomplishing it. 

 One method is to keep ? catalogue of the 

 specimens in your cabinet numbering each 

 insect by a small slip of paper attached to 

 the pin, which corresponds with a number 

 in the catalogue where all particulars are 

 noted. The main objection to this plan is 

 that the possession of the catalogue is 

 needed as well as of the insect. If a 

 collection be broken up only the possessor 

 of the catalogue will be able to trace the 

 insects. Another way is to label each 

 insect with a small slip of paper with the 

 needed information written upon it. You 

 will find with care you can write all you 

 want to remember on a slip that will be 

 hidden under the wings of all but the 



smallest species. On the continent where 

 very long pins are used, and the insects seti 

 high up, this slip is often placed so that! 

 it can be read without moving the specimen*! 

 This is not practicable with our method of 

 setting, though of great advantage to the 

 student, and we do not expect to see the 

 continental method adopted in this country I 

 in our time. In most of cases the placed 

 where obtained and the date will be enough* 1 - 

 Those of your own collecting could be 

 distinguished by the initial of your surname 4 ^ 

 while with scarce species or varieties it wilfys 

 always be worth while adding the namei 

 (not initials) of the collectors from whom 

 you received them. Other particulars can 

 be added when important, and every insect 

 then carries its own history with it, and 

 will be as valuable in another's hands as in 

 your own, while you will find in a very shorty, 

 time you are giving additional interest to; 

 your collection, and you will find it worthL 

 your while to do this even with common I 

 species. How many for instance can dis-F 

 tinguish the Spring and Autumn broods off 

 the Common Whites, yet they are so differ i . 

 ent that even so excellent an Entomologists, 

 as C. J. Stephens thought them different^ 

 species. If all your specimens bore the datfi ^ 

 of capture on the pin, you would soo: 

 learn such differences as this, and ther 

 are probably many discoveries to mak 

 even among common species yet. We ~{ 

 therefore strongly recommend our readers h 

 to commence now, with such a system 

 Once begin it, and you will never 

 abandon it, and we would rather advist 

 you to have your cases unsightly with the I 

 labels, though there is not the slightest r ~ 

 need for this if you are neat and careful I 



