98 THE entomologist's record. 



was shown illustrating various branches of natural history, etc. 

 Entomology was well represented. A series of photographs showing 

 "Habits of Butterflies and Moths," by A. H. Hamm, obtained a medal, 

 while certificates were awarded to A. E. Tonge for "Photomicrographs 

 of Eggs of British Butterliies and Moths," and to H. Main for the 

 " Metamorphoses of (.'haraxes ja^ius." Messrs. W. Farren, J. J. Ward, 

 F. S. Worsley, and J. G. Duncannon also sent specimens of their work. 



The last meeting of the Entomological Club took place on the 

 evening of March 15th, at " Wellfield," Lingards Road, Lewisham, 

 when Mr. R. Adkin was the host. The guests were received by Mr. 

 and Mrs. Adkin, the latter of whom served tea, after which an 

 adjournment was made to inspect some of the treasures and recent 

 additions in Mr. Adkin's collection and entomological library. An 

 excellent supper was served at 8.30 p.m., when a particularly strong 

 muster of members of the Entomological Club and entomological 

 friends sat down, among whom were noticed, Messrs. J. E. Collin, 

 W. Distant, H. St. J. K. Donisthorpe, T. W. Hall, A. Harrison, A. H. 

 Jones, H. Main, A. Sich, E. Smith, R. South, H. J. Turner, J. W. 

 Tutt, and G. Verrall, M.P. The table was delightfully decorated with 

 white and yellow narcissi and tulips. A most delightful evening was 

 spent, the meeting breaking up about 11 p.m. 



In continuation of our remarks {antea, p. 49) we may state that 

 in The Standard, of February 25th, we observed the following relating 

 to the British Museum staff. " The situation of First Class Assistant 

 (Walsingham collection) in the Natural History Department of the 

 British Museum is added to Schedule B appended to the Order in 

 Council of January 10th last." Consequent on this, on March 3rd 

 last, Mr. J. Hartley Durrant was appointed by the Principal Trustees, 

 First Class Assistant in the Department of Zoology, the appointment 

 to date from April 1st. This is, no doubt, from the purely entomo- 

 logical point of view, the most important appointment that has taken 

 place in connection with the curating of the insects, in the Natural 

 History Museum, for very many years — viz., the appointment of an 

 entomologist of the first rank, who knows his work before taking up 

 his appointment, and who will not have to learn after appointment, 

 the scientific importance of the collections placed under his charge. 

 The care of the Walsingham collection will be continuous, there will 

 be no need to waste the years in the re-arrangement of the insects, 

 whilst new material is accumulating and put aside undescribed, and 

 the maximum of use to the entomological public must naturally 

 follow. 



We suppose that some day the Trustees of the National Museum 

 will learn that the two important pieces of work to be done in the 

 Museum collections are — (1) The proper curating of the specimens so 

 that they are accurately named and readily found, and that this part of 

 the work can be done quite well by the young assistants if a recognised 

 Synonymic list like that of Staudinger and Rebel be followed, and 

 they act under the instructions of the highly-educated Senior Assistants. 

 (2) The describing of new species which should be published separately 

 by the Trustees, or in one or other of the recognised channels, after 

 which they should be handed over to the young curators to be placed 

 as determined by the Senior Assistants. This should surely be the 

 main work of the highly-qualified members of the staff. 



