THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
45 
thrown into the new study as the old 
one. 
It is almost alarming to contemplate 
the number of amateurs bent only on the 
capture of Lepidoptera, to say nothing of 
unknown hordes of dealers who sweep 
districts “ professionally." The great in- 
crease which has of late years taken 
place in this fraternity plainly shows 
that there must be a large number of 
drawing-room entomologists, who pur- 
chase only, or do but little at actual col- 
lecting. Unless the reproductive powers 
of the Lepidoptera are much greater than 
they are generally considered to be it is 
pretty clear that many now tolerably 
common species will, in a few years, share 
the fate of C. Dispar, P. Acis and others, 
which have been almost hunted off the 
face of the earth by this puerile mania for 
specimens. Under these circumstances 
I think the highest honours and prizes 
ought to be offered for the greatest pro- 
ficiency in any order but Lepidoptera; 
or at any rate the standard for the latter 
ought to be raised much higher than for 
any other order. In recommending this 
I do not desire the study of the Lepi- 
doptera to be checked ; there is far too 
much yet to be learnt of this order to 
make that desirable. But the study of 
an order is one thing and the mere col- 
lection of specimens another. How few 
of even our older collectors who can give, 
without book-reference, the names of half 
the insects in their collections, their limes 
of appearance, food, habits, &c. ; and yet 
this ought to be done, not merely of half 
a collector’s insects, but of the whole of 
them, otherwise he has been collecting 
specimens faster than he has knowledge 
regarding them. Is the exhibition of a 
cabinet to an entomological acquaint- 
ance, even though it may extort his ad- 
miration (? envy), because it contains 
specimens which his own does not, to be 
the alpha and omega of a student’s aspi- 
ration ? I trust not. 
It is to be greatly deplored, — nay, it is 
almost disgraceful in these days of intel- 
ligence and energy, that there should be 
large orders of insects about which little 
or nothing is known, simply because fan- 
tastic ladies (of both sexes) consider 
them “ nasty things,” and they happen 
to lack, to the naked eye, the peacock 
tints of other insects more obtrusive in 
their character. 
But I must not trespass further on 
your space. I hope I have said enough 
to draw the attention of some to a system 
which may lead to mischief far more 
extensive than it is now possible to con- 
ceive. 
I am, sir, 
Very truly yours, 
Joseph Merrin. 
Gloucester ; April 27. 
TO THE EDITOR OE THE ‘INTELLI- 
GENCER.’ 
Sir, — Though far past the twenty years 
you propose as the limit for your Exami- 
nations, l wish to say a lew words con- 
cerning them, and the more so as there 
is one view of the subject which is seldom 
mentioned or even alluded to : I mean 
the beneficial effect on the moral cha- 
racter which the objects of Natural His- 
tory are calculated to produce, when 
observed and collected simply as a recre- 
ation. The pleasure which the sights 
and sounds of beauty all around us are 
calculated to produce seems to me one of 
the best and most powerful means of 
keeping the mind fresh and green amidst 
all the dwarfing and cramping influences 
of this work-a-day world. Collecting 
may indeed be carried on so as to nourish 
all the dirty passions of the human mind ; 
but there is no necessity for this : on the 
contrary, the observation, pursuit and 
preservation of objects of Natural History, 
— all, in fact, that is often included under 
the contemptuous name of “ mere col- 
lecting,” — may form an interesting and 
refined source of enjoyment: there are 
