THE STORY OF AN ENTOMOLOGIST 



great chemist and author of the Pure Food Law, who for a 

 long time was chairman of the House Committee. Dr. Wiley 

 was not only of great service to the Club in that capacity, but 

 he was a constant joy to all of us. I think that he was the wittiest 

 man I have ever known. At one period we were often invited 

 to speak at the same dinners, but before long I made up my 

 mind that it was desirable for me to speak after Wiley and not 

 before. The climax was reached at a dinner in New York, at 

 which I preceded him. Nearly all the speakers were from 

 Washington, and I pointed out this fact, and, since they were 

 all probably strangers to the diners, I told something about each 

 one. As to Wiley, I repeated one or two stories. When he got 

 up, after a few words, he said, "As to my friend Howard, I 

 advise him to stop his study of the Cotton Boll Weevil and 

 the San Jose Scale and the malarial mosquito, and to turn his 

 attention encirely to the Chestnut Blight." Whereupon the 

 audience roared at my expense so vociferously that never after- 

 wards did I speak before him. 



Every old member of the Club must have a host of recollec- 

 tions of unusual and interesting people, and of unusual and 

 interesting conversations. One night in the billiard room I saw 

 a well-known zoologist and an equally well-known writer play- 

 ing billiards. The author was a large, heavy man, and he played 

 in a very deliberate way. I listened to the following conversation 

 between them: 



Zoologist: It is surprising to me that so fine a man should be so 

 lazy. 



Author: Do you know that I attribute my splendid physical condi- 

 tion at this advanced age entirely to indolence ? Lazy people and the 

 lazy animals always command my admiration and respect. Take the 

 alligator, for example. There is an ideal animal. He lies on his belly 

 and basks in the sun for hours upon hours. When the necessity or 



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