318 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
that my desire to be a partaker of your kindness has been the cause of my 
sending you these lines. I wished to ask you, on behalf of myself and some 
friends, who are desirous of arranging systematically our entomological cabinets, 
what catalogue you would recommend as being best adapted for that purpose 2 
We possess A Catalogue of the Orders , Families , and principal Genera of 
British Insects (Whittaker & Co., London), which was published on the 1st 
of Dec., ult.; but find it very deficient as regards many of the known species, 
and which we are desirous of possessing. Among the Reviews in your Journal 
i find you make some observations upon Mr. Curtis’s Guide to an Arrangement 
of British Insects (Yol. II., p. 336). There I perceive the author’s 3rd con¬ 
sideration for offering the Guide to British entomologists is that 44 It will form 
labels for cabinetsbut it does not state whether the printing is adapted to that 
purpose. Awaiting your answer, 
I remain, Sir, 
Yours, etc. etc., 
Sheffield , Jan. 24, 1830. Alpha. 
£Some of our inquiring readers preface their epistles with an apology for the 
trouble they inflict upon us by their queries. We can only say, that the more 
we are troubled in this manner the better we shall be pleased. The Naturalist is 
a medium for seeking as well as imparting knowledge; and we should indeed be 
ill qualified for our station were we not to afford all the assistance in our power 
to every worshipper in the Temple of Nature.—With respect to the present 
query, we have no hesitation in recommending the second edition of Mr. Curtis’s 
Guide (London: Pigot & Co., 1838) as well adapted for the purpose required. 
By a very neat contrivance, the names may be cut out for labels although they are 
printed on both sides of each leaf, thus effecting a saving of half the quantity 
of paper which would otherwise have been necessary. The price is 10s. 6d., 
or 44 8s. 6d. to subscribers.”—E d.] 
Notes on Insects injurious- to Vegetation. 
To the Editor of the Naturalist. 
My dear Sir, —At the last meeting of the British Association the Rev. 
F. W. Hope read an interesting paper on the destruction of various insects during 
the Summer of 1838, and requested further information. On looking over my 
memoranda, I find the following notices of these pests in our neighbourhood. 
Aug. 2.—Nearly all the fields of Beans are infested with a little black Aphis, 
which appears to have caused considerable injury to the plants. They attack the 
top of the plant, and although they do not appear to eat the fruit or flower, yet 
they are effectually blighted. 
