ON THE USE ANJ> ABUSE OE PRINTS, 
I5i 
I proceed to notice a remark which my admission respecting 44 a great portion* 
©specially of the smaller , Lepidoptera” has given rise to. 44 This [the remark 
quoted] almost at once,” says Mr. Lees, 44 reduces the matter into a question 
of relative magnitude ; for if in the 4 smaller * Lepidoptera, plates are 4 here 
necessary,"’ so of course they must be for all the ‘smaller’ insects, of whatever 
order; for surely *intricately-blended’ colours are not entirely confined to the 
smaller Lepidoptera; and where such blended colours appear, it is admitted 
that descriptive language becomes inadequate* to ‘enable the student to dis¬ 
tinguish/” Now I demur to this “ of course,” and I think Mr. L. will, on 
consideration, see that I have “good reason to do so” A small Beetle, for 
instance, is, ceteris paribus, as easy of recognition (with the aid of a microscope) 
as a large one, since its characteristics may be such as can be accurately notified; 
and the probability is that such will be the fact, Beetles being in most cases 
specifically distinguished by the form, sculpture, &c., of the elytra, thorax, &c., 
and seldom manifesting the “intricately-blended” colours so prevalent amongst 
the Lepidoptera , and which in that order constitute the principal and specific 
distinctions. Nor does my remark reduce the question into one of relative mag¬ 
nitude, as the observation applied generally to the Lepidoptera whether “ great or 
small,” but more “ especially ” to the smaller species, the latter in many cases 
offering fewer describable characteristics than the larger species. 
Mr. Lees seems to have a difficulty in understanding how plates can be 
44 abused/’ But surely if their use be to dispel doubts and perplexity in certain 
cases, it is to abuse them if we apply to them as a 44 matter of course ” for the 
names of our specimens, and, having obtained our wish, feel contented with 
knowing the general outline of the species we possess, and give ourselves no 
trouble at all in investigating their minute peculiarities. 
I could make a few additional observations on other parts of Mr. L/s article, 
but believing that I have said enough to place my opinion on the subject in 
dispute in a clear—and I hope favourable—light, I refrain; and conclude, as I 
commenced the discussion, with all possible good-will towards Mr. Lees, and 
assuring him that he has my best feelings of respect and esteem. 
Bewsey House , Warrington , 
Feb. 18, 1839. 
£As we were desirous that if Mr. Rylands thought fit to reply at all to Mr, 
Lees, his rejoinder should appear as early as possible, we transmitted a proof of 
Mr. L/s article to our present correspondent, which will account for the foregoing 
paper being dated previous to the publication of the essay on which it comments. 
*—Ed.] 
* Not in all cases. “ Intricately-blended” colours may “appear,” but if there exist other and 
important specific characters, description will “ enable the student to distinguish ” them. 
