Parsons : Hints on Natural History Collecting. 69 



I Imow little of the habits of the Deltoides and Pyrales. P. pur- 

 piiralis has been rather common in spots ; and over one little pool, 

 full of pondweed and Lemua polyrJiiza, at Bleasby Four-Lane-Ends, 

 early in July, I found on the wing, all at one time, Cataclysta lemnaliB^ 

 Hydrocampa nymphoeata, H. stagnalis^ Accentropus niveus, and P. stratio- 

 talis. As I know the larvae must be abundant at the proper season, 

 I mean to have a regular fishing " excursion. 



Market Rasen, 



Sept. 16th, 1877. 



HINTS ON NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTING. 

 By H. F. Parsons, M.D. 



(Read before the Selby Naturalists^ Society, Oct. ISth, 1877. 



In the scientific work done by the members of a local Naturalists' 

 Society like those of which the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union is 

 composed, the collecting of objects in the various branches of Natural 

 History occupies a prominent place ; I have thought, therefore, that 

 it might not be amiss to lay before you a few thoughts upon the 

 principles which should guide us in our collecting, so that the results 

 which we obtain may have a real scientific value. There are those 

 who doubt the utility, in a scientific point of view, of amateur 

 collecting ; for instance, our friend Mr. Miall, in a letter to Nature a 

 few weeks ago, on the subject of " Public Museums," says that a local 

 museum will have taught the working man a very undesirable lesson 

 if it teaches him to go and make a collection on the small scale 

 similar to that which he there sees. Mr. Miall considers that we 

 have had enough, and more than enough, of unintelligent collecting, 

 and that to know a few animals and plants thoroughly is better than 

 to be able to recognise a large number of species. With all deference 

 to Mr. Miall, I propose to show that if our collecting be too often 

 devoid of scientific value, it is because it is so often " unintelligent 

 collecting," the amassing of a collection being looked upon as an end 

 in itself, rather than (as it should be) merely the means to an end — 

 that end being the knowledge of the objects collected. In one sense, 

 indeed, it may be said that collecting is an essential preliminary to the 

 study of plants, animals or minerals. We are told, on the high authority 

 of Mrs. Glasse, that it is necessary to get our hare before we can cook 



