258 
THE WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
means small, so industriously have 
they been collected, that at the 
present time, the most distant parts 
of the continent are searched for the 
discovery of new species, with but 
scanty result. They have accord- 
ingly been described in a variety of 
works. The case is very different 
with those kinds which the other 
quarters of the world produce. We 
may see that each continent has its 
representatives, since from whatever 
part of the globe a number of the 
smaller lepidoptera are brought, 
Crambidce have always a place 
among them. Yet we should be 
much mistaken, were we to conclude 
that because the species so imported 
are few in number, the sum total of 
exotic species in existence is small 
when compared with those of 
Europe. The cai’elessness, and in- 
deed wemightsay idleness of natural- 
ists in distant countries is almost 
beyond belief, as regards the collect- 
ing of minute lepidoptera, though 
they treat still smaller natural ob- 
jects with sufficient respect. An 
explanation of the causes of this 
defect, would be out of place here. 
That it is much to be lamented will 
be readily allowed by such as have 
examined the contents of both public 
and private collections, and have 
borne indignant witness to the 
pitiful condition of the Cmnibidcc 
and Chilonidce therein preserved. 
Thus, authors who have written on 
this group, have passed over more 
species without a wal'd, than they 
have noticed. Descriptions of 
exotic species moreover, as of Euro- 
pean, are scattered through various 
books. 
Knowing that an acquaintance 
with the present state of knowledge 
is best calculated to advance it, I 
have resolved to collect together all 
the known species, and so far as 
possible to reduce them to a natural 
arrangement; a task more easy to 
begin than to complete, notwith- 
standing the increased expedition of 
our postal communication, and the 
willingness of scientific men to assist 
the investigations of others. Some 
books are of great rarity, and hardly 
to be spared from the owner’s use. 
The extreme brittleness of many 
specimens, when dead and dry, is a 
further obstacle. 
The Weekly Entomologist may be 
obtained from Mr. T. or Mr. J. B. 
Blackburn, the Yews, Woodford, 
London, N.E., by post, price Three 
Shillings and Three-pence per 
quarter, prepaid. 
Also of C. Andrew, 129, High 
Street, Cheltenham ; T. Brown, 2, 
Collingate, York; J. E. Robson, 
Olive Street, Hartlepool ; T. Cooke, 
Naturalist, 513, New Oxford Street 
London. 
Those who make any discovery, 
or capture of a rare species, or 
observation of general interest, are 
