2 
THE PURSUIT OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
work he has obtained: this uncertainty increases his diffi¬ 
culties considerably. Were he sure that the species was 
figured or described in the work he is using, he could have 
continued his investigations, determined to ascertain its 
name; but uncertain whether he be not, in fact, seeking that 
which is not there, his search is necessarily carried on with 
less vigour, and with less prospects of success. Every year 
new species are being' met with in this country, some totally 
new to science; some which, though common enough on the 
Continent, had not previously been met with here. With the 
increasing vigour with which Entomology is pursued—and 
probably it has twice as many eager votaries as it had twenty 
years ago novelties, instead of being fewer in number, as 
might be expected were the mine nearly exhausted, are 
actually on the increase, and will probably so continue for 
several years to come. Besides the species actually new to 
us, many once of great rarity turn up in some locality in 
great abundance, or as Sphinx Convolvuli did, in 1846, 
swarm throughout the country. It thus happens that our 
tyro meets with some insect in great plenty, which his 
“ Index Entomologicus” mentions as “very rare;” and he 
hastily concludes that he has had some wonderful luck, and 
is inclined to boast of his captures, till some kind friend 
informs him that “the insect is now so common, that no¬ 
body thinks its capture worth mentioning:” whereat, though 
he may thank his friend for his kindness, he nevertheless 
feels a little annoyed-people do not like to discover that 
their swans are only geese. 
The idea of the present work is to supply these two main 
desiderata: to give systematically notices of all the new 
species found in this country in the past year, and at the 
same time to intimate which once rare species had been 
beino- !■'! t ^ lft present volume, so much space 
being occupied by notices of the novelties since the last 
