218 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



American Entomologist, years ago, in connection with some of 

 Walsh's studies. He also spoke of the extraordinary fecundity 

 of the Aphididae, giving examples of recent experience in his 

 own greenhouse, and also referred to what he had recorded from 

 actual observation in reference to Phorodon humuli. 



Mr. Howard said that it might seem strange, to the majority of 

 systematists in other groups who were present, that the students 

 of parasitic Hymenoptera had so long confined themselves in 

 their descriptive work to the differentiation in a few obvious 

 characters, and went on to state that this was due to the fact that, 

 with the comparatively small number of forms which had hitherto 

 been under observation, classification could be accomplished by 

 the study of these few alone. Moreover, many of the important 

 characters just pointed out by Mr. Ashmeacl are difficult of 

 observation, and certain of them involve a partial dissection of the 

 specimens. With the extraordinary increase of the number of 

 forms collected which has been brought about of late years, 

 however, the necessity arises for the discovery of new characters 

 for their separation. The necessity is becoming greater every 

 day, and in Mr. Ashmead we evidently have the man for the 

 emergency. The address, as a whole, is of the greatest value, 

 and will undoubtedly be of great assistance to students in the 

 parasitic Hymenoptera. 



Dr. Gill expressed some dissatisfaction with the President for 

 having apologized for going into such minute details. The 

 speaker considered that this study of minute detail is exactly what 

 we need. Our modern school of zoologists have drifted away 

 from this necessary class of work and have in fact frowned down 

 systematic study. It is becoming the custom, in fact, to study a 

 few types and to write a text-book about them, whereas what we 

 need is a multiplicity of details about a multiplicity of forms. 

 Mr. Ashmead's address is typical of the best kind of systematic 

 zoology. 



FEBRUARY 7, 1895. 



President Ashmead occupied the chair, and Messrs. Schwarz, 

 Benton, Coquillett, Marlatt, Gill, Howard, C. Hart Merriam, 



