182 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
To the Editor of the ' Intelligencer.' 
Sir, — As the object in labelling insects 
is to ascertain without doubt where any 
particular specimen was captured or 
acquired, it is of the first importance 
that the system adopted should be as 
simple as possible, and one that will 
require no more time to be taken up 
than is absolutely necessary. The notion 
that to register captures abstracts from 
the collector a large amount of time, at 
a season when every moment is of value, 
has deterred many a one from using any 
plan of numbering; but if it can be 
shown that this is not necessarily the 
case, I think every one would keep an 
account of his captures. 
First procure a set of numbers printed 
on thin paper, from 1 to 100, after the 
method propounded many years since by 
Mr. Stainton, who, I have no doubt, 
would be glad to furnish a pattern to 
any one desiring it. The numbers are 
arranged in ten lines, ten in each line, 
thus — 
01, 02, &c., to 10, 
11 to 20, 
21 to 30, 
and so on to 91 to 100 in the tenth line; 
the last numerals, however, being 00 
instead of 100. 
These numbers are printed at such a 
distance apart that they can be easily 
cut with a pair of scissors; it would 
be an advantage that they should be so 
near together that when the scissors are 
passed between them there should be 
nothing more to cut off. For the first 
hundred they will serve as they stand by 
prefixing the figure 1 to the last 00, and 
in the same way they will serve up to 
any number by prefixing with a pen the 
desired figure before the printed num- 
bers. Consequently up to 999 only three 
figures are required, and up to 9999 ouly 
four, aud as these are all small the label 
is not large enough to be a disfigurement 
to any collection. If the number re- 
quired be greater, then by using a letter 
to express ten thousand the label need 
not be any larger. A reference to the 
register would show in what year any 
particular number was captured, so that 
it would not be necessary to add the 
abbreviated date; but if it were pre- 
ferred to begin numbering every year 
it would be requisite to add the date, 
with, however, the disadvantage of in- 
creasing the size of the label. One 
idea was that each collector should add 
to the number the initial of his own 
name, but this is of no consequence as 
long as an insect remains in his own 
possession, and if it passes into the 
hands of another the new owner is sup- 
posed to put on to it a number of his 
own. The numbers are all supposed to 
be prepared in the winter, but not to be 
cut off until wanted. 
As to the register, it is very simple, 
and may be kept thus: — 
1860. No. 
May 21. 301—480. Wickham Wood. 
Then insert the number and name of 
any known rarity, and leave space for 
the numbers and names of any unknown 
captures, to be supplied hereafter, or the 
numbers of such specimens alone can be 
inserted as a reminder. I see no use, 
and only a great loss of time in inserting 
every number in the journal, for pro- 
bably three-fourths of the day’s captures 
are not rare, and might be taken in any 
wood; it would be of little interest to 
see, for instance, that No. 301 was 
Argynnis Euphrosyne, and still less to 
learn that 302 to 320 were the same 
species; to say nothing of twenty lines 
