146 
THE WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
but truth says “ not so.” They must 
not expect to find a nice popular — sci- 
entific work, like Stainton' s “ Man- 
ual ” at hand, with pretty pictures to 
help them in identifying their species 
and a few interesting hints at the 
commencement of each family by 
way of a “ go into it and win.” No! 
Stephens' “ Manual” is a very different 
thing. Not that we wish to depre- 
ciate the latter book. It has render- 
ed us too essential service to be treated 
so, but, when it was written, science 
was a sterner thing than it is now-a- 
days, and scientific Manuals were 
written for Entomologists, and had 
nothing in them for mere collectors, 
or “ admirers of nature,” as they are 
called. 
"We did not, however, wish this 
leader to discourage anybody. On 
the contrary, we intended to make a 
few observations which we hoped 
might prove serviceable to beginners 
in Coleoptera. Space however now 
begins to fail us and we must draw to 
an end. Perhaps we shall take up 
the subject again in the course of a 
week or two, and endeavour to look 
at the bright side of the cloud. It 
need not be useless to have pointed 
out that there are many difficulties in 
the Coleoptera so that no-one may go 
into them with closed eyes-, and, when 
he has a few boxes full of “ staphs ” 
and Harpali that he cannot name, 
declare he would never have begun 
the study, if he had anticipated what 
he should have to encounter. 
If any are discouraged by these re- 
marks we aro not sorry for it, for 
those who are deterred from entering 
the temple of science because they are 
told they will have a struggle to get 
through the door, had better stay out- 
side, while those who are not terrified 
by the prospect, will find the struggle 
to be only at the door, and that, once 
having passed that, the delight and 
insti uction they experience within, 
repays all previous toil. 
The Weekly Entomologist may be 
obtained of Mr. T. Blackburn, 
Bowdon, Cheshire, by post, price 
Three Shillings and Three Pence 
per quarter, prepaid. 
Also of C. Andrew, 129 High St. 
Cheltenham, J. Brown, 2 Collingate, 
York, S. Styles. 163, North St. 
Brighton, J. E. Bobson, Queen St.., 
Hartlepool, 
Complete sets of the Weekly En- 
tomologist for the first quarter (13 
numbers) may still be had. Price 
( post free ) Two shillings and sixpence. 
Price of number 1, fourpence, — the 
other numbers Twopence each. 
Remittances should be sent in Post 
Office Orders or Stamps. 
All communications to he addressed 
to Mr. T. Blackburn, Bowdon, 
Cheshire. No notice will he taken of 
anonymous communications. 
Booksellers willing to undertake 
the agency in their respective neigh- 
bourhoods arc requested to communi- 
cate with the same gcntlemau. 
