258 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



terrupted control. We never had a dis- 

 agreement or an unpleasant word. 

 Whether we went together or separately 

 we each filed off to our own quarters, 

 and worked away till time for returning, 

 when we had a pleasant chat on the 

 evening's doings as we trudged home in 

 company. We nearly always got as 

 many insects as we wanted ; and was 

 not this a pleasanter and better way 

 than for a late comer to find all occu- 

 pied, and that he must either return 

 home with empty boxes, or go further 

 afield. Each of us thought our own 

 special ground better than the other's, 

 and the writers experience is, as has 

 been said before, the best ground is that 

 most convenient of access. Of course, 

 if you want a certain insect, you must 

 go where it occurs, but when sugar is 

 productive, it is generally productive 

 everywhere, and the most convenient 

 place is the best. If we are not mis- 

 taken, it once happened that a gentle- 

 man was sojourning in the New Forest, 

 and that at a certain hour he went home, 

 leaving another collector on the ground. 

 The one who remained, took shortly 

 afterwards, on the sugar spread by him 

 who had gone home, a fine specimen of 

 Ophiodes lunar is, one of the greatest pos- 

 sible prizes. This must have been ter- 

 ribly annoying, and on the principle of 

 locking the stable door when the steed 

 is stolen, we have no doubt he who did 

 not get lunaris, would stay later at sugar 

 for the future, The gossipping remarks 

 with which we often fill up our front 

 page are always intended to serve a pur- 

 pose. We wish to promote among col- 



lectors a feeling of mutual good will, of 

 desire to help each other in every pos- 

 sible way, and we are pleased to know 

 not only that no unpleasant personal 

 remarks have found their way into our 

 pages, but we know also, none such 

 have been sent to us. The notes of Mr. 

 Walker and Dr. Ellis on the subject we 

 are writing on to-day, are just what 

 they ought to be. No angry feeling or 

 soreness. One was late, and what he 

 thought the " best ground " was occu- 

 pied, so he contented himself with what 

 was left. One was early, and did not 

 go to the ground of the other until i( 

 was so late that he thought he was nol 

 coming at all. We notice also that eacl 

 collector thinks his own ground the best 

 and this, too, is just as it ought to be 

 If similar good feeling and forbearanct 

 prevail everywhere, there will be n< 

 need for " laws " for sugarers. The ol< 

 law used to be that " they shall tab 

 who have the power, and they shall keej 

 who can." But things are different now 

 and one great use of our paper is tha 

 he who takes, may help others to tak 

 also ; and he who has more than h 

 needs, shall not keep them, but oblig 

 some less favoured collector, who wi 

 also be able to repay the kindness in th 

 same way. 



Note. — Dr. Knaggs (Guide, p. 99 

 says : — " In the neighbourhood of larg 

 towns the beat which the collector hi 

 baited is considered his for the evenir 

 only, but in large forests or other loca 

 ities where there is unlimited space f 

 the selection of suitable spots, the be 

 chosen is retained by the same collect 

 during the whole of his sojourn," &c. 



