THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELL1GENCEK. 
181 
gracilis , — I would enter them in my 
register like this : — 
No. 15. Anchomenus gracilis (15 because 
it is the 15th species of the genus, 
vide Waterhouse’s list). 
1. The gift of Mr. Bye. March 11th, 
1859. 
2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. All taken here by 
myself, under bark, and moss 
growing on alder trees, on the 
banks of the river Yeo. IV. V. 
1859. 
But I am afraid there is a drawback 
to this method, which neither Mr. Tyrer 
nor Mr. Wallace has mentioned ; viz. as 
a matter of course entomologists would 
constantly be exchanging their old spe- 
cimens for fresh ones, and most likely 
each of the fresh specimens would have 
histories differing from the old ones. 
What a complicated mess the register- 
book would soon get into from correc- 
tions ! How is this to be remedied ? 
Can no one suggest a better plan P If 
not I think the case is almost hopeless; 
the only way will be to keep several 
register-books instead of one. 
Yours, &c., 
G eh vase F. Mathew. 
Raleigh House , near Barnstaple. 
To the Editor of the ‘Intelligencer.' 
Sir, — I have lately read with much 
interest several communications on the 
subject of labelling entomological speci- 
mens. As the question is now being 
agitated, perhaps you will excuse my 
troubling you with a few remarks on the 
subject. 
The plan to which I beg to call 
attention, and which I have adopted 
for Coleoptera, is not my own invention, 
and I can therefore with the less diffi- 
dence recommend it. 
From its simplicity it prevents con- 
fusion, and though every species has not 
a separate number, it will be found quite 
sufficient for all ordinary purposes. 
I rule two columns on the left-hand 
side of each page of my register. In 
the first is the day of the month on 
which the specimens to be registered 
were obtained; in the second the refe- 
rence numbers, which commence afresh 
every year. To each specimen is attached 
a ticket with this reference number, and 
after it, and separated by a dot, the two 
last digits of the year ; thus, if a speci- 
men is found labelled 12 . 60, on looking 
in the year 1860, down the second 
column the number 12 is found, in the 
first will be found the date, and in the 
rest of the page the locality, and other 
observations made at the time. Thus 
one number will serve for a whole day’s 
captures, or at all events all taken in 
one place under similar circumstances. 
It appears to me that giving a 
separate number to each specimen, 
or even each species, implies either 
that a separate entry is made for each 
specimen or species (which, if 150 or 
200 specimens be taken in a day is im- 
practicable), or that a great many dif- 
ferent numbers are used where one will 
do. 
Lastly, this plan applies as well when 
the names are unknown; for, by leaving 
a space in the diary, the name can be 
filled in at any time, or the supposed 
name may be written in pencil, to be 
inked in when verified. 
Yours, &c., 
Henry S. Gorham. 
10, Alfred St., Montpelier Square, 
Brompton ; Feb. 23. 
