THE 
WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST 
“ ENTOMA QUIDQUID AGUNT NOSTEI EST FARRAGO IIBEIXI.” 
No. 37.] SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1863. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 
S OME time ago, a proposal got 
abroad among the readers of the 
“ Intelligencer,” to institute entomo- 
logical examinations, conducted by 
a board of especial savans. The idea 
gained a certain amount of attention ; 
but was finally abandoned, for it was 
felt to be an effectual bar that the 
study of insects has always been re- 
garded by the greater part of its 
lovers, rather as a pleasure than a 
toil. 
We have often wondered what 
would have been the text-books 
most in use, if the plan above men- 
tioned had been adopted. Probably, 
the student would have taken a 
preparatory “ grind” in Kirby and 
Spence’s “ Introduction,” and in the 
“ Classification of Insects” by Mr. 
Westwood. We can assure him 
that he would have had some tough 
reading in the latter. 
Had ambition further prompted 
him to compete for honorary certi- 
ficates, we could imagine that he 
might have offered himself for ex- 
amination in the Eupithcccice of 
Great Britain, the Iclmeuinonidce, 
[Price 2 cl. 
the Syrphidce, or some such limited 
branch. But where would he have 
gathered his preparatory know- 
ledge? Could he have turned to any 
Manual whose author, having bent 
all his energies to the elucidation of 
difficulties in that one limited range, 
had so perfected his knowledge, as 
to prepare a complete and valuable 
Monograph ? How many minor di- 
visions of any order could he have 
found, on which a thoroughly com- 
plete work was published? We 
have very few such works as the 
“Natural History of the Tineina.” 
The outlines of every order have 
been sketched ; but we can no more 
expect to find details in these out- 
lines, than we can expect to find the 
life of Lord Eldon, fully wi-itten in 
any ordinary History of England. 
Beyond doubt, there are Natural 
lists, among us, who pay the most 
constant attention to, and make a 
hobby, so to speak, of some parti- 
cular group. The collected obser- 
vations and information of such 
Naturalists would be very valuable. 
By their efforts alone, can we hope 
to perfect our knowledge of each 
order. 
