92 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



most of those wlio will be present (Liv^erpool 

 friends, of course, excepted), will travel by 

 day excursion trains, returning to their 

 homes the same evening It will thus be 

 better to abandon the idea of an evening 

 meeting, and the reading of papers. Dr. 

 Ellis most kindly offers the use of bis con- 

 sulting room, or should the party be too 

 large, to arrange for the use of a suitable 

 room in a temperance hotel, conveniently 

 situated. Perhaps it might be necessary to 

 avail ourselves of one of these arrangements 

 should the day prove unpropitious, but we 

 may surely look for fine weather in the 

 middle of May. 



If the evening meeting be abandoned, of 

 course the reading of papers must be aban- 

 doned also, and perhaps this is better for 

 our first meeting. Sliould it prove success- 

 ful enough to encourage us to hold another 

 similar gathering next year, these matters 

 could be arranged with the advantage of the 

 first year's experience. We might even be 

 able in time to ape more important bodies, 

 and have a president appointed for the year, 

 whose inaugaral address might prove one of 

 the more attractive items in the programme. 



There remains then the further proposal 

 of an exhibition of specimens. Mr. Carter 

 writes " I think the idea about exhibits is a 

 good one, and it should as far as possible, in 

 my opinion, be confined to species which are 

 variable, or to rarities I shall le glad to 

 show the genera Hylernia, PJiigalia, Polia, 

 and perhaps one or two others." 



We quite agree with Mr. Carter that ex- 

 hibits to be interesting should be of variable 

 or rare species. But which species are vari- 

 able ? There are many so common that they 

 are rarely or never exchanged by collectors, 

 yet vary greatly in distant localities. An 

 opportunity is afforded on an occasion like 

 this, of collectors seeing such specimens from 

 various places. But, perhaps, those who 

 meet at Liverpool on Whit Monday are not 

 likely to come from very distant places, or, 



at all events, those from such places are not 

 likely to be very numerous. Mr. Carter has, 

 we believe, an exceptionally variable series 

 of the genus Hylernia, and we are sure all 

 would be pleased to see them. We shall be 

 glad to hear from anyone else as to what they 

 think of bringing, and we might suggest that 

 those intending to be present should bring 

 any exceptional specimens they possess of 

 any genus or species about to be exhibited by 

 others. It would also be interesting to see 

 British and European specimens of rare 

 insects. The writer proposes to exhibit such 

 of Polia nigrocincta, Diemthcscia ceesia, &c., 

 an acquaintance with which is often necessary 

 to prevent imposition. One question remains 

 — where shall the specimens be shown. A 

 suggestion has been made that we think is 

 suitable. It is, that at four o'clock all should 

 gather in a sheltered nook known as the 

 opinia ground, discuss their refreshments and 

 captures, and then exhibit the specimens they 

 ha\e brought. We confess we like the idea. 

 There will be so much more freedom and 

 less formality in gathering together in this 

 wa\ . Everyone could take as much time as 

 they pleased over what specially interested 

 them, and need not discuss what did not 

 attact them. 

 ! One word more. We specially advocated 

 last month that efforts should be made to 

 interest ladies in natural history. May we 

 hope that the gathering on Whit Monday will 

 be graced by the presence of many. 



1 



EXCHANGE. 



We have been asked to write an article on 

 " Exchange," especially for the benefit of our 

 younger readers. It is a subject on which a 

 great deal might be said ; but as many of 

 our readers know quite as much as we do 

 about it, we will endeavour to be as brief as 

 as possible. 



Exchange now-a-days is earned on in two 

 ways. First, there is the exchange between 



