148 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 



with named specimens; while, after the Society was formed, speci- 

 mens invariably came to me with their scientific names attached. 



The growth and outcome of the few interested persons who 

 met and organized "The Entomological Society of Philadel- 

 phia" now is, and has been for a number of years, of national 

 importance. It has been the means, directly and indirectly, of 

 stimulating into action a general interest and desire in thoughtful 

 and educated persons to investigate the formation and habits of 

 insects, and ascertain, as far as possible, the places that their 

 numerous species fill in the economy of nature, and of circulating 

 a knowledge respecting them otherwise difficult to obtain. And 

 now, all over the land, there are individuals and institutions col- 

 lecting and studying the habits of insects, not only as a matter 

 of curiosity and pleasure to behold their beauty and contemplate 

 the wisdom and forethought manifested in their construction, but 

 of necessity to know and welcome our minute friends, and to 

 guard against a vast host of devastating enemies. 



Before the influence of the Society was felt, a few honored 

 names like Say, Harris, Fitch, LeConte, etc., supposed by 

 their illiterate neighbors to be partially insane, had told the 

 general public the necessity of becoming better acquainted with 

 the life-history of Insects, and how few persons believed their 

 teachings ! But to-day both Government and State see the im- 

 portance of the subject and spend their money liberally in the 

 employment of the highest and best entomological talent to in- 

 vestigate, promote, and circulate all the knowledge that can be 

 obtained in reference to Insect Life, especially of those species 

 that are injurious or beneficial to vegetation. Surely, if our 

 members were not wise in entomological literature and education 

 to begin with, they certainly did a wise act in organizing "The 

 Entomological Society of Philadelphia." Thirty-four years have 

 passed since the Society first came into existence, and to-day as 

 I examine the "Scientists International Directory," for 1892, for 

 the individual names of the twenty-one persons who founded it, 

 I feel sad to think that I can find only two of them, viz., Cresson 

 and Ashton. Where are the other nineteen have they all passed 

 away ? * 



* Two of these are still living members, viz., James \Y. McAllister and 

 J. H. B. Bland ; eleven are known to be dead, while the other six are not 

 now members. If living, we do not know their whereabouts. ED. 



