360 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1925 



rapidly to-day. The mathematical trend in biological work has not 

 been sufficiently noted by many entomologists. We can not afford to 

 neglect this movement. If we do neglect it we will lose the signifi- 

 cance of much of the research literature of biology, and in our OAvn 

 work will lose the good to be gained from these mathematical 

 methods. 



This has naturally led up beyond the discussion of the needed in- 

 crease in numbers among the entomologists into the need for 

 broader and sounder training. And this in turn will lead us to a 

 consideration of the direction of this research training and the 

 vast opportunities which exist for the most important research. 

 To do this properly we must know comprehensively where we 

 stand to-day. 



In morphology we are most fortunate at this present moment 

 to have at hand (only a month from the press) that magnificent 

 " Introduction to Entomology " by Comstock, its thousand pages 

 displaying this side of entomological accomplishment to date, the 

 result of long years of close and careful work by a great student 

 and teacher. 



I have used the term " morphology," in referring to this great 

 work, as including external and internal anatomy and taxonom3^ 

 Physiological information occurs frequently in the consideration 

 of anatomical points, and embryological data are touched upon here 

 and there. In the consideration of metamorphoses also the treat- 

 ment is broad beyond the usual understanding of the term " morph- 

 ology;" and habits, behavior, life history data, and points suggest- 

 ing ecological work are touched all through the bulk of the book. 

 So in a big way this " Introduction " is much more than an intro- 

 duction to entomolog}' ; it is an introduction to the new entomology 

 that is to come. We may take it as a starting point from which to 

 proceed, just as the older entomologists took West wood's famous 

 "Introduction" and, later. Sharp's "Insecta," and as the men of 

 the generation of AValsh and Riley and Thomas and Le Baron 

 took the classic "Insects Injurious to Vegetation" by our own 

 Thaddeus William Harris. 



Before leaving the subject of morphology, attention should be 

 called to the advanced and most competent work of Snodgrass, 

 some of which is already available and much more will soon be 

 available. Comstock's mention of the work of this gifted ento- 

 mologist, on page 205 of the new " Introduction," is a deserved and 

 gracious act of the A'eteran. 



I think that the subject that has been most in the minds of 

 many of us in recent years has been insect physiology. After scores 

 of years of work by brilliant men, our knowledge of the physiology 



