SESSION 1897-98. xxiii 



they cai'ried forward with so much promise of high achievements 

 was allowed to fall into neglect. There are a few exceptions, but, 

 generally spoakiiig, from the comincMioeiuont of the century up to 

 the i)resont time the subject seems to have fallen into almost 

 complete abeyance. 



" To incite beginners to undertake this special work of the study 

 of life-histories, 1 think that somethiug might be done if we were 

 to put before them a single example of a common insect worked out 

 with some degree of detail. If that were done in England it 

 would get over the difficulty felt by naturalists who have not 

 made acquaintance with a foreign language. We have hardly 

 any examples of life -histories worked out and presented to us in 

 a thoroughly acceptable form. This difficulty seems to me so 

 considerable that I am now trying to draw up such a life-history 

 of the Chii'onomus, or blood-worm, which is everywhere accessible. 

 It is one of the most instructive insects known to naturalists, and 

 in twelve mouths 1 hope to have its life-histoiy ready for the use 

 of the student. 



" But it is not enough merely to have a book put into the hands 

 of students ; they must know how the actual work of observation 

 is done. It might be possible to pick up from among the members 

 of the Corresponding Societies in various parts of England an 

 enthusiastic party of young men and show them how particular 

 things are done. For instance, how to capture certain kinds of 

 insects, how to study them anatomically, how to disclose the 

 embryonic development and the inner changes which accompany 

 metamorphosis. Let me suppose that out of the members of the 

 local Societies situated within convenient distance of the city of 

 Leeds, where I have my laboratory, twelve should agree to assemble 

 some time next summer, say in July, and take up the work which 

 1 have proposed, each to bring his own microscope, if he has one. 

 I will then undertake to go through a quite elementary course of 

 training on the Chironomus, its life-history and its development. 

 I think I can undertake to initiate such a party of investigators 

 into a useful method of canying on the study of life-histories, and 

 I think they will carry home with them, from a short course of 

 study, a determination to pui'sue the work. We could then try 

 the experiment in another district, London for instance ; and 

 I should also be glad to do anything by way of correspondence 

 to further this study. 



" If we should succeed in carrying out this plan it might lead 

 to a re^T.val of the study of natural history in our country. Each 

 student might turn into a centre of infection when he went home, 

 and spread the virus through his brother naturalists. Let us look 

 forward to such a revival, and if the suggestions which I have 

 made should command for this subject the sympathy it deserves, 

 we may realize a bright future for this important branch of 

 knowledge." 



Sir John Evans expressed the indebtedness of the meeting for 

 the practical suggestions of Professor iliall. He hoped that those 



