ISi [August, 



dictionaries which we call systematic papers, by which alone can we commence 

 to study our material. In almost any current zoolog-ical journal published in 

 the East to-day one will find one or more systematic papers written by workers 

 in the East. Away from complete libraries and collections they naturally work 

 at some disadvantage, neverthe]ess,./'ftMic demieux, thelaboiirof compiling these 

 necessary grammars and dictionaries falls on them. Their successors, liowever, 

 owe it to them and not to the scientist at liorae for the means thus provided for 

 them to prosecute their studies. 



To piit the matter briefly, my Utopian idea is this : at home, there is a vast 

 world-wide collection, named up-to-date ; also a large band of willing and 

 experienced specialists, each moved with the ambition of advancing our know- 

 ledg-e, and adding to the national collection of his own particular group. 

 Abroad, there is the energetic collector and field naturalist, who sends his 

 material home, soon receives a representative portion back again, duly named 

 up, and who, in correspondence with his specialist at home as likely as not at 

 his actual suggestion, makes valuable discoveries on the life-history of the 

 species he has collected. At home, scores of descriptions fill the entomological 

 journals ; abroad, field notes and life-histories keep Eastern editors c jually busy. 

 The specialist at home provides the former (from the latter's spoils), the 

 naturalist abroad is responsible for the latter. Thus Utopia. 



Our present experience falls a long way short of this. Altliough many 

 eminent specialists have given of their best in helping the naturalist abroad, 

 the chances are long against one being able to obtain the correct name for a 

 quarter of the insects one may collect to-day in any comparatively little-worked 

 Eastern country. There are not nearly enovxgh specialists available. The 

 natviral centre to which the Englishman t arns is, of course, the Natural History 

 Museum at South Kensington. There, as is well known, the entomological 

 staff, however willing, is hopelessly inadequate. It remains, therefore, for 

 private entomologists to come forward and fill the breach. I am quite sure that 

 many Coleopterists who read this magazine are fully capable of taking up the 

 study of one or more of their pet families, and of making themselves (if they 

 are not so already) quite efficient enough to undertake the identification of 

 species from one or more quarters of the globe. 



May I suggest this suitable war task for the Editors of this Journal ? 

 Namely, the formation of a body of British (allied if you like) experts, who will 

 undertake to help the national collections, at the same time advance their 

 favourite science, and help the naturalist abroad, by making themselves avail- 

 able for and capable of naming up some at least of the many orders or families 

 of insects. Will one or more of them not undertake a special study of the 

 insect fauna (or part of it) of some neglected land ? The need is all the more 

 pressing now that specialists of enemy nationality are no longer available for 

 help.* When the time conies for peace will the Editors of this Journal earn 

 our lasting gratitude by publishing a list of all the specialists they can secure 

 to help the naturalist abroad ? For those of us who are temporarily divorced 



* For the year 1914 I acknowledged assistance from 53 specialists, of whom 2.5 were Briti.sh, 

 5 of neutral nationality, 12 of allied nationality, and 11 of enemy nationality. 



