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turn ones boat up a dyke is to insure, not only present molestation, 
but a chain of circumstances, the pecuniary cost of which few 
persons care to incur, to say nothing of the inconvenience of a com- 
pulsory attendance before country magistrates. A few years since I 
had a week’s collecting in the neighbourhood of Deal and Dover, 
where I was much surprised at the very different state of affairs, for 
so long as the pedestrian abstains from absolute damage, he is prac- 
tically at liberty to roam whithersoever he will. It is needless for 
• mo to point out what would be the fate of the man who essayed, 
sweeping-net in hand, to walk through a plantation here about the 
middle of May. Truly the bTorfolk Entomologists’ lines have not 
fallen in jileasant places. Household Heath is to be taken away 
from us; and there is said to be a movement on foot to petition the 
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for an officer to 
inspect our killing-bottles, and see that the corks fit properly. 
The study of the Hemiptera-Homoptera, which it is my chief busi- 
ness to advocate here, is one of more than ordinary interest, owing 
to the comparatively little attention which has hitherto been jiaid 
to these insects in this country, and the consequent probability of 
new species occurring ; and although they are not very imjDOsing in 
point of size, they yield to no order of insects in beauty of form 
and delicate, though generally somewhat sober, coloration. Owing 
to their jumping habits, some small amount of tact and prowess is 
necessaiy for their capture, Avhile from the very delicate organization 
of many species, their mounting and ultimate preservation is well 
calculated to promote the exercise of that very desirable quality'’, 
patience. 
In this country Homoptera are generally carded, but inasmuch 
as very important structural characters are found on the under side, 
I much prefer pinning them all close to the scutellar angle of the 
right wing-case ; and if a sufficiently fine pin is used, and the 
pinning operation be conducted with a duo amount of care, the 
most delicate specimen may be mounted without the least dis- 
tortion. Eor a working collection, what is generally knowm as 
“ setting out ” is neither necessary nor desirable. The position of 
the pin is a matter of very great importance, and experience has 
shown that the place above indicated is the least objectionable, 
because the pin, passing through tlie metasternum, gets a firm hold of 
the insect, while the scutellum remains perfectly intact ; and in those 
