THE SUBSTITUTE. 
101 
Troglodytes vulgaris ! We took 
] 60 SaiellUia, and of course have 
plenty to spare tor anybody who 
may desire to roast their toes by 
the fire instead of chilling; their 
fingers on the ivy. Sugaring in 
the same locality proved an utter 
failure, and pupa-digging scarcely 
less so, though the most productive 
last winter. I may mention, in con- 
clusion, that Ch. dispar was taken 
here last summer, and is in my 
possession ; as also two S. Convol- 
vuli taken this autumn, Edusa, 
Cory don, Adonis, Alsus, Argiolus, 
Ageslis, Camilla, Machaon, and 
others which I forget, have also 
been recent prizes; but as they 
have not much connexion with 
frosty evenings I conclude. — W. 
V. Crotch, 2, Albert Buildings, 
Weston-super-Mare. 
COMMUNICATIONS. 
On Duplicates and Desiderata. 
— In the first number of ‘ The 
Substitute’ are some remarks by 
(judging from the style) Mr. 
Stainton, from which I make the 
following extraet. “ Almost every 
collector has, during the summer, 
taken specimens of insects winch 
he does not require for his col- 
lection, and which he would be 
glad to give away to any one that 
wanted them,” Every one knows 
Mr. S.’s oivn generosity and libe- 
rality in this respect, which are 
indeed deserving of all praise. 
But I cannot, for my part, sub- 
scribe to tbe opinion that most, or 
even many, entomologists, exhibit 
a similar readiness to supply the 
wants of their brethren : on the 
contrary, I would say, “ Apparent 
rari nantes, in gurgite vasto.” Mr. 
S. considers that this spirit ought 
to prevail — that no return should 
be expected — that, in a word, 
whatever is sent should be sent as 
a free gift. At page 55 of the 
same work, Mr. Norcombe re- 
marks; “this appears to me per- 
fectly absurd.” If, by this, Mr. 
N. means that it is perfectly ab- 
surd to expect that collectors unll 
do so, I must confess that I en- 
tirely agree with him. But Mr. 
N. objects to the soundness of this 
doctrine in theory as well as in 
practice : “ Having all I want for 
myself of a certain species, why, 
he asks, should I go many miles 
for more unless in the expectation 
of getting others I have not in ex- 
change for them : am I to get 
boxes, then work hard to get in- 
sects to put into them, pay post- 
age, and expect nothing but a 
‘ beggarly array of empty boxes ?”’ 
He might have added — the trou- 
ble, which is not trifling, of setting 
them. This appears to me a fail- 
line of argument. The proper 
spirit, aceording to Mr. N. is, “ to 
send as many, and as little in- 
jured (how I wish some of my 
correspondents would tak6 tbe 
hint!) specimens as you can to 
your con-espondent, expecting he 
will do the same,” &c. In the 
main I concur in this view. Once 
more, at page 78, we have an in- 
dignant letter from “ A Sufferer,” 
who, after comidaining that his 
letters requesting the gift of cer- 
tain insects remained unan- 
swered, adds: “ Now, Mr. Editor, 
this state of things will never do ; 
it is a disgrace to the entomolo- 
gists of Great Britain,” See. This 
is strong, nay, I think unjustifi- 
able and unwarrantable language. 
K 3 
