170 
THE SUBSTITUTE. 
ception should be used? The 
practice of naturalising foreign 
insects is not new : we believe 
that Chri/sophanus Ckryseis was in- 
troduced into the British Lists by 
a dealer’s “dodge;” Papilio Po- 
dalirius also, and several other re- 
puted British species, besides 
hosts of specimens of rarities 
foisted upon us as natives, al- 
though imported from the Conti- 
nent, sometimes in the pupa state 
in order to deceive us easier, but 
all brought with the express pur- 
pose of committing a fraud. The 
last alarm has been about Phlogo- 
phura empyrea ; and although the 
introduction of foreign specimens 
of it to be passed off as British 
has not been publicly proved, there 
is a general belief that the trick 
was intended, although not per- 
haps in the way our correspond- 
ents seem to think. One diseased 
sheep taints a whole flock, and 
honest dealers must not be sur- 
prised at the stigma thrown upon 
their body by the nefarious doings 
of one or two of their number. 
But there are other dealers be- 
sides the acknowledged ones. It 
is too true that some collectors 
hoard up their “ good things” and 
bargain with them quite as keenly 
ns any seller ; in fact they make 
quite a business of their ex- 
changes. Such a spirit is siinjily 
disgraceful, and quite unworthy 
of a naturalist. There is a still 
W'orse grade than this, but fortu- 
nately the examples are rare. 
Everybody has heard of the La- 
thonia trick, performed by a 
“Reverend” professor of sleight 
of hand and slight of principle, — 
a speculation with a “job lot” as 
it was happily tenned by a writer 
in the ‘Zoologist:’ we need do 
no more than record our execra- 
tion of such doings. That people 
under such circumstances should 
cease to buy insects is not wonder- 
ful: we know many who aver they 
will never buy again. But ano- 
ther result will follow, that no rare 
insect and no specimen of a new 
species will hereafter be deemed 
worth a straw unless its capture in 
Britain can be authenticated be- 
yond all doubt, for as matters 
stand everything out of the com- 
mon is suspected. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
All communications to beauthen- 
ticated by the name of the u'riter, 
and to be addressed To the Edi- 
tor OF ‘The Substitute,’ 0, 
Devonshike Stheet, Bishops- 
GATE Street, London, N.E. 
It is particularly requested that 
all ISames of Insects may be written 
plainly and xcithout abbreviation, 
and that they may be airanyed in 
the order of any of the printed lists. 
‘The Substitute’ will be con- 
