27 
which he was only able to tell me that it was from one of the best 
Scotch collectors, and probably taken in Scotland, and he took occasion 
to remark that he could not see the need for troubling about 
localities in the case of species which did not show geographical 
variation. Now this sounds plausible enough, but it is really an 
absolutely untenable position to take up. Who is to decide whether 
a given species is subject to geographical variation ? And how shall 
we ever come to a knowledge of the subject unless we label every 
specimen? We are constantly making new discoveries in this 
connection, and we may confidently predict that many more will yet 
be made in the future. Again, the possessor of one of the largest 
collections of varieties and aberrations in this country has remarked 
to me that, while he appreciates the value of locality-labelling in 
ordinary cases, yet he would value a rare aberration or sport just as 
highly, whether he knew its exact history or not. There is a good 
deal more to be said for this gentleman’s point of view than for that of 
the professional just mentioned, but the same argument prevents our 
conceding even to the captor of an apparently unique aberration the 
right to ignore the locality and other circumstances of its capture. 
It is a mere platitude to say that every effect has its corresponding 
cause, and even the most casual aberrations must be capable of some 
explanation, biological or pathological, or what not; and should such 
an aberration subsequently recur (a thing which has happened times 
and again) it may become a matter of great importance to be able to 
decide on the probabilities of there being any hereditary connection 
between the two, or any local cause bringing about a similar result on 
more than one occasion. 
One other thing that should be demanded of the “ mere collector ” 
is that he should so far sympathise with the more studious ento¬ 
mologist as to be ready to collect not solely the material that he wants 
to “ fill his own series ” and “ exchange for his own desiderata,” but 
also, where it is within his power, such material as may help on any 
special line of work or research which may be in hand. I have 
myself met with such unvarying kindness in this respect, from 
entomologists in general and from members of this Society in 
particular, that I can hardly hope anything better than that other 
workers have fared equally well. Now that it is becoming pretty 
generally known that I venture to pose as a specialist in the 
Geometndes, and particularly the Larentiidae of Guenee, I find material 
for study in this family coming in as fast as I am able to deal with it. 
Depend upon it, it is only by this principle of co-operation that any 
good worth mentioning will be achieved. I believe most devoutly in 
usefulness —not necessarily utilitarianism —and I think that collectors 
who have not the time or the taste for hard work themselves can yet 
be of very great use to those who have. 
But although I have thus spoken, it is still my own personal con¬ 
viction that the studious worker will get the greatest pleasure and 
profit out of a subject like entomology or any other branch of natural 
history, pregnant as such subjects are with the interest and fascination 
that belong to the realms of reality and life ; and I would urge you to 
try and find some special line of study within the great field, however 
slight and unpretentious such special line may be. I have already 
reminded you that I have endeavoured to make myself a specialist in 
