17 



Mr. J;iine« Kidings, and aft'orded at a moderate rent. The same gcD- 

 tlemaii made a successful entomological tour to the Kocky Mountain.s 

 in the summer of 1S64, accompanied by his son Mr. J. H. Hidings, 

 who is also a member. They were encouraged to this important under- 

 taking by Dr. Wilson, who agreed to make purchases of all new or 

 rare species in his collections. The members generally continued ac- 

 tive and animated in making collections nearer home, and Dr. Wilson 

 was as liberal as usual, not only in devoting all his time to this Society, 

 but in contributing for the purchase of specimens and for other neces- 

 sary objects. On another page in one of his own letters, it will be seen 

 how he devised a system of entomological excursions, at an expense of 

 S450 per annum. On one of these tours two of the members visited 

 together the Western districts of Virginia in 1869, and the same coun- 

 try, together with neighboring portions of Ohio, was explored again 

 the present summer, 1S65, by one of their number. As the Proceed- 

 ings were sold at a low price to accommodate and encoui'age entomolo- 

 gists who, like other scientific men are often poor, the expenses far ex- 

 ceeded the income, and Dr. Wilson contributed altogether about $2.00(1 

 for its support. For insect cases and other like accommodations, he 

 gave about ^2,000. He presented a library of choice, rare, and expen- 

 sive books on Entomology, numbering about 1,500 volumes, and this 

 must have co.st at least SG.OOO. The number of insect specimens in the 

 Museum amounts to over 50,000, and for these also the Society is chiefly 

 indebted to him. In addition to all these, he paid the salary of an in- 

 telligent and active entomologist, who for several years devoted all his 

 time to the Society, amounting to 84,000 more. The work of this gen- 

 tleman has been the describing of several hundred new species and 

 genera, the arranging of the Museum, the editing of the Proceedings, 

 and the correspondence of the Society. 



The members were profoundly iujpressed with their obligations to 

 him, not only for his donations and the bestowal of his time to tliis 

 Society, but for the kindness and agreeableness of all his intercourse 

 with them personally. To give an expression to these feelings of ad- 

 miration and gratitude, the more active ones had beautifully engros.sed 

 and richly framed a Preamble and Resolutions. It was a gem of work- 

 manship in the highest style of art, containing on the border appropri- 

 ate legends. When this work was finished a meeting of the Society 

 was held, the Preamble and Resolutions were passed, and a committee 

 was appointed to wait on Dr. Wilson and present the testimonial. Thus 

 the whole was done without his becoming aware of what was going on. 



