THE 
WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST 
“enTOJIA QOIDQUID A (SUNT NOSTRI EST FARRAGO LIREllk” 
No. 32.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1863. [Price 2d. 
BEWARE OF TRAPS I 
T OOKING over a mass of old 
letters, a few days ago, we came 
upon the following note in one of 
them : — “ I would have sent the 
insects to-day ; but am without a 
suitable box. I suppose people 
dont like to return boxes empty; 
but appropriating them seems a 
curious way of satisfying their 
consciences.” 
We can only say that we most 
entirely concur with the opinion of 
our friend ; and as there is no 
tribunal for appeal, no “ M.C.C.” in 
entomological matters, we will take 
the opportunity of saying a few 
words upon this subject. 
There may be, and we .suspect 
that there is, a convenient theory 
current, which makes post-boxes, 
pill-boxes, and such small fry of 
apparatus, common property ; but 
this theory has no very solid founda- 
tion in common sense. If a generous 
entomologist offers to distribute 
freely a mass of local and interest- 
ing species — and it is the benevo- 
lent who are most liable to suffer 
from this abuse — it is hardly fair 
that he should be doomed to lose 
sight of his boxes as well as his 
specimens, even though the reason 
exist, which our correspondent in his 
willingness to find excuse for these 
annoying delays, suggests. 
Some of our readers may have 
met with Mr. Thomas Moore’s clever 
and satirical “ Speech on the Um- 
brella Question,” supposed to be 
spoken by Lord Eldon, on the occa- 
sion of Mr. Bell’s leaving his 
umbrella in the House of Peers. 
The satirist makes the speaker in- 
sist, in some very indignant verses, 
on the right to retain anything 
once left in the hands of that noble 
body. Now we do not suppose that 
anyone will go to such a length as 
to endorse Mr. Moore’s opinion : — 
“ I will always maintain 
That, once having taken men’s rights, or 
umbrellas, 
Wo ne’er should consent to restore them 
again.” 
Probably, there is always a per- 
fectly honest intention of restoring 
the detained property ; but, mean- 
while, the sender is in a fix. The 
worst part of his position is that 
