8 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
LABELLING INSECTS. 
2'o the Editor of the ‘ Intelligencer.' 
Sir, — My plan has been, simply fol- 
lowing the model of the London Cata- 
logue of British Plants, to take Double- 
day’s, or Stainton’s (already numbered) 
List, and number the Lepidoptera right 
away from beginning to end (from I to 
1700), and then put, to each insect 
whose name I knew, the corresponding 
numeral. 
I cannot but fear that endless confu- 
sion must arise from the three-fold 
scheme of Mr. Wallace, especially since 
genera are, at present, so much a matter 
of fancy, and so closely related. 
Mr. Stephens’s method of numbering 
(as recommended by Mr. Stainton) seems, 
in my humble judgment, to ofler every 
advantage for the registering of insects 
for future reference; as I hope mine is 
best and most simple for armngement in 
a cabinet. 
Mr. Brown’s suggestion of substituting 
a B or C for the 2000 or 3000 seems to 
me most excellent; and Mr. Tyrer'has 
well shown the unnecessary trouble of 
numbering your specimens according to 
their order in the cabinet (Intel, vii. 172, 
173). 
T was not aware, previous to reading 
Mr. Wallace’s letter, that it is the prac- 
tice of botanists to number their speci- 
mens, according to his plan, although in 
books numerals are sometimes employed 
to show the sequence of genera or species : 
even this practice is far from universal 
with us, and we should only laugh at 
any botanist who tried to label his spe- 
cies in that fashion. In one of the most 
recent and best French Floras the species 
are numbered right away from end to 
end: in most others no numerals are 
used at all for the species. 
A Botanist. 
British Hemiptera. — I am glad to 
find that this interesting order of insects 
has found at last some one to undertake 
its history, and T should be glad to 
render any assistance in my power by the 
loan of specimens, of which I have a good 
number, having collected a few every 
year for some time past, and I should 
have paid more attention to them but for 
the difficulty of getting them named. — 
H. J. Harding, 1, York Street, Church 
Street, Shoreditch. 
Price 3s. 6d., 
HE WORLD OF INSECTS : 
A Guide to its Wonders. By 
J. W. Douglas, President of the Ento- 
mological Society of London. 
London: John Van Voorst, 1, Pater- 
noster Row. 
Second Edition, price 3s., 
ri^HE ENTOMOLOGIST’S COM- 
1 PANION. By H.T. Stainton. 
“ For those interested in the study of 
the smaller moths, this book will be found 
of great use.’’ — Athenamm. 
London: Van V^oorst, 1, Paternoster 
Row. 
The Butterfly Number of ‘Young 
England.’ 
Now ready, 
A Complete NATURAL HISTORY 
of BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 
By Edward Newman, F.L.S., Z.S., late 
President of the Entomological Society. 
There is a life-size figure of every spe- 
cies, drawn and engraved by the first 
Artists, regardless of expense ; and a full 
description of each in the various states 
of Caterpillar, Chrysalis and Butterfly. 
Price Sevenpence, post free, to be pre- 
paid in Stamps. 
Edward Newman, 9, Devonshire Street, 
London, N.E. 
Printed and published by Edwaud Nkwman, 
Printer , of No.lt, Devonshire Street, Rishops- 
gate Without, London, in the County of 
Middiesex, — Saturday, April 7, iStlO. 
