OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XI, 1QQ9 9 



had been mostly short, and published as a rule rather in ab- 

 stract than in extenso, they were for the most part of great 

 biological interest. There were almost no classificatory papers. 

 They treated of habits or transformations, of geographic distri- 

 bution, of parasitism, of technique, of insect physiology, of ev >- 

 Intionary problem-, of insect ])roducts. of the relations of 

 llowers to insects, and subjects of this character. 



It is notable that only 13 papers out of a total of 341 even 

 touched upon economic entomology. There was a reason for 

 this, and that reason perhaps was largely due to the personality 

 of the first President of the Society. It is fairly well ex- 

 pressed in his retiring' address at the close of the fir-1 \var of 

 the -Society's existence. He wrote (p. 24, vol. 1, Proceeding 

 Entomological Society of Washington) : 



"\Ye have here in Washington a number of collectors and 

 amateurs and some well-known specialists, in addition to the 

 force of the Entomological Division of the Department oi 

 Agriculture. The Division constitutes a force that I feel justly 

 proud of, and the working of which has been commended by 

 those who have had occasion to become familiar with it. Vet 

 how far it falls short of my own ideal and- of the necessities 

 of the country, or how difficult it is to build it up to that ideal 

 under the unfortunate political unscientific atmosphere that 

 pervades the Department, no one more fully appreciates than 

 myself. The fact remains, however, that there is a good num- 

 ber of active observers whose interest in the subject of ento- 

 mology is not confined to the particular biologic and economic 

 work of the Division, but encompasses much that could not 

 properly be brought within its scope. The members of the 

 Division have naturally become member- of the Society and 

 form a good basis for its existence; yet it would be manifestly 

 unnecessary, if not improper, for the members of the force to 

 band together in private simply for the discussion of those en- 

 tomological subjects \\hich the\ art- working with me to further 

 in official capacities. It was to get away from official surround- 

 ings away from the work of the U. S. entomologists that 

 the members of the Division decided to join in the organization 

 of this Society *. From this standpoint it was perhap- 



unfortunate that you chose me as your presiding officer; for 

 I feel deeply that we should avoid everything that may create 

 the impression that the Soeietv is but an echo of the official 

 organization." 



It would be most interesting, if there were time, to compare 

 in a similar manner the character o| the- papers read and meet 



