OF WASHINGTON. 83 



ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 



A BRIEF HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE SCIENCE OF ENTO 

 MOLOGY, WITH AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT HAS BEEN, AND 

 WHAT REMAINS TO BE, ACCOMPLISHED. 



By C. L. MARL ATT. 



It is not an infrequent custom, in addresses of this sort, to 

 make them an opportunity of "taking stock" of the progress for 

 the year or for greater periods. I will not deviate from this 

 course, but will take a little broader view than is ordinarily done, 

 even at the risk of being considered presumptuous and with a 

 vivid appreciation of the fact that such a summary as I hope to 

 make would be far better done by some of our members who are 

 older and more familiar with the literature and history of the 

 science of entomology than is the writer. 



In the midst of our own daily activities, time rarely offers to 

 stand aside and, from some vantage point, take a glance back 

 ward along the road of progress or forward toward the ultimate 

 goal of complete knowledge ; and were it not for occasions like 

 the present, reviews of the past or predictions of the future, 

 useful and serviceable as they may be, would seldom find place. 

 Viewed as a matter of history, the science of entomology appears, 

 from our point of outlook, as a column or throng of workers, 

 the rear ranks of which are continually dissolving and the van 

 guard, receiving constant additions, the one hoary with age and 

 venerated for things achieved, and the other vigorous with youth 

 but with possibilities undemonstrated. To sum up briefly what 

 this figurative column has accomplished and what the future has 

 for it to do is the task which I have this evening assigned myself. 



To attempt a complete survey, with the time at my disposal, 

 would be altogether impracticable, nor, indeed, is it necessary. 

 Several distinct phases of the progress of the science of entomol 

 ogy have been in fact already thus reviewed. In a presidential 



