43 
lEE LEPIDOPTEROLOGICAL EXCURSIONS NEAR MESERITZ. IN 
THE PRUSSIAN PROVINCE POSEN. 
BY PROFESSOR P. C. ZELLEU. 
.There are plenty of notices of excursions, but these generally 
,e to localities wbich were quite new to the relater, and therefore 
Led bim with extraordinary productions. If they relate o 
Neighbourhood of his own dwelling place they then record only 
which is striking, and o.nit that which is usual. In neither case 
,^ch notices furnish a complete picture of the Lepidopterological 
U In a perfectly strange neighbourhood one certainly sees some 
he species peculiar to it ; but, as is well known, an investigation of 
I days will not suffice to discover those which are most concea ed 
I are often the most interesting If one hesitates to introduce the 
iducts of one's own neighbourhood except in a systematic arrange- 
Lt the reason seems very natural that one fears otherwise to furnish 
L that is uninteresting. It is certain, that complete notices on the 
earances at particular periods of the year, if they come irequently 
L localities situated near one another, and differing little m their 
Lcter, would show great agreement, and would, therefore, be oi 
,le interest to the contributors. But it would be quite otherwise 
. the dwellers in localities of a different nature. For example, that 
ichis the case around Meseritz and in a great part of Northern 
.rmany, will scarcely be met with anywhere in England; it will, 
erefore. for an Englishman, have plenty of interest, to learn some- 
ing more precise, and to be able to make comparisons with his own 
untry, provided that he does not shut himself up too exclusively and 
sist on being blind to the products which do not occur in his own 
,untry ' I -ive, therefore, in the following pages the results of a lew 
:cursions in former years, which I made to a precise locality, because 
believe that a foreigner can thereby best make a conception of the 
ature of a part of this neighbourhood. Should these communications 
.eet with approval, I will in future notice such parts of the neighbour- 
cod of Meseritz as have different pecuharities. 
I must, however, in the first place remark as follows :-the town of 
/[eseritzlies in a fruitful, nearly elliptical valley, not quite m the 
aiddle. The river Obra intersects this valley in a very tortuous course, 
.nd passes northwards by the town; immediately below the town there 
•uns into it an equally serp entine stream, the P acklitz^This valley 
* It was from thi, position between the two river, that Meseritz received it. I'olish nam., which, 
t haye been informed, signifies Mesopotamia. 
