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''Aurelian'' is an archaic word for lepidopterist, one who is interested in butterflies. The term is derived from ''aurelia'', meaning chrysalis, and relates to the golden color it may attain just before the butterfly emerges; the Latin word for gold is ''aurum''. ==Aurelian Societies== Aurelian societies were formed several times in Britain, but each time they collapsed. Edward Newman in his ''Grammar of Entomology'' (1835) notes: ===The Society of Aurelians=== The Society of Aurelians in London, England, was one of the oldest organized bodies of specialists in any branch of zoology and was probably founded by Joseph Dandridge and a few others. They collected and documented insects from the 1690s, and these collections were made available to the naturalist John Ray. The history of the society is known only from the works of Benjamin Wilkes in his book ''The English Moths and Butterflies'' (1748–9). The society flourished for a time but came to an abrupt end in March 1748. While members of the society were in a meeting in Swan Tavern in Exchange Alley, a great fire broke out in Cornhill and enveloped them. All the members escaped, but their entire collection, library, and records were destroyed. This event was documented by Moses Harris in ''The Aurelian; or, Natural History of English Insects'' (1765). The loss disheartened the group so much that they never managed to regroup again. ==Aurelians in fiction== * Vladimir Nabokov described a lepidopterist in the short story "The Aurelian", based on the lepidopterist Hans Rebel. Deanna Raybourn's lead character in ʻA Curious Affair', Veronica Speedwell, in her new mystery series named after the title character is a lepidopterist and refers to the private purchasers of her butterfly hunts as Aurelians. (New American Library, imprint of Penguin Random House, September, 2015, New York.) ==See also== * Society of Entomologists of London 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Aurelian (entomology)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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