THE 
WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
“ ENTOiMA QUID QUID AQUNT NOSTRI EST FARRAGO LIBELLI.” 
No. 23.] SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1863. [Price 2d. 
DISCOVERIES. 
presume that one great 
object kept in view by a very 
large proportion of the readers of the 
“Entomologist” in their study of 
insects, is expressed by the word that 
stands at the head of this article. Per- 
haps, (indeed certainly by some) the 
object has been already attained, but 
still we doubt not that there are many 
who, as they understand the term, 
have never been so successful. Now 
we think that their want of success is 
owing either to a misapprehension of 
what a discovery is, or a failure to 
pursue the right means. 
Many Entomologists when they 
look forward to the discovery that they 
hope one day to make, picture them- 
selves as capturing some large and 
brightly-colored butterfly new to 
science, and don’t think that anything 
much less startling than this would 
be worth dignifying with the name- 
We will, however, in this article en- 
deavour to correct their evidently 
mistaken views, and show them that 
some discovery is almost certain to 
reward pains-taking care. If, how- 
ever, they still persist in aiming very 
high, and esteeming nothing but the 
discovery of a species new, at least, to 
Great Britain, a worthy recompense, 
let us suggest that they should im- 
mediately pack up their boxes and 
travel to some remote part of Scotland 
or Ireland, and there search, — not for 
Butterflies or Moths, — but for Beetles 
Elies, or Bugs. 
It may be asked, before coming to 
a resolution to act on the above sug- 
gestion, whether as much real good 
may not accrue to Science from their 
remaining at home, and contenting 
themselves with discovering some 
new facts about old species, instead 
of insisting upon something quite 
new. Why must they needs capture 
a species for the first time in Great 
Britain ? Will it not suffice that they 
are the first to capture an insect, in a 
particular district of Great Britain ? 
There are few, or no localities so well 
explored that this is not a probable 
result of their study. Again, — why 
need they discover a new species at 
all ? Will it not be quite as satisfac- 
tory to describe a new larva, — even 
though it be an old species? We 
venture to say that there is not an 
Entomological note book in the king- 
dom that has been carefully kept for 
three or four years, and that displays 
