6o8 
The British Mania . 
Qdtober, 
introduced. A bird’s egg is sold to a collector as “ British.” 
True, the species of bird occurs more or less frequently in 
Britain, but the egg in question was laid in Norway ! 
Again, it may be asked, especially in case of strong-flying 
birds and inseCts, When have we right to call them British ? 
A solitary specimen straying hither, or even driven over by 
a tempest, from the Continent or from America, has very 
doubtful right to be so classed. Even if such occasional 
stragglers remain and breed with us for a season or two, we 
cannot consider them as true natives. But, according to 
the prevailing code, every such visitor is British, and is 
accordingly shot down, or otherwise captured. This, though 
the last, is certainly not the least, objection to the British 
mania. Not merely all such occasional wanderers, but 
many unquestionably native species, are in a fair way for 
extirpation, owing to the high price set upon their heads. 
One of the most efficient means to ensure their preservation 
would be the abandonment by our collecting naturalists of 
the British mania, with all its narrowness, its pettiness, and 
its gullibility. 
Finally, I may point it out as curious that, with all this 
apparent desire for a thorough knowledge of the fauna of 
our own country, and with such numbers of collectors, all 
the orders of inseCts but two are practically neglected. 
