66 THE entomologist's record. 



fulness of pleasure ours ? The old feeling is engendered by the woods 

 and trees. The exquisite sense of enjoyment recurs wlien we see the 

 Purple Emperor fan his iridescent wings on the same branch of the 

 old oak-tree on which We caught our first specimen. Do we not love 

 our old haunts, our old nooks, our old friends? I love the old flowers, 

 the old spots, and so I ween do all of us. If science grows out of 

 collecting so much the better, but, with the feelings we possess even the 

 charm of collecting cannot be altogether in vain. Gentlemen, I hope 

 I have not bored you with these personal reminiscences, I trust I have 

 not disappointed you if you came in the expectation of hearing a 

 learned peroration. I feel that science may, nay must, go largely to 

 the winds for once, and that we will recapitulate our old experiences, 

 fight our old battles, and enjoy the remembrances of the entomology of 

 early youth, at least for a part of to-night. 



But let us not forget, in the glowing reminiscences of our youthful 

 experiences, that there is a deeper and more lasting jiassion in middle 

 age for him who wishes to drink of it. The scientific en(piirer leads a 

 life which the multitude know not of. He has friends whom his most 

 intimate acquaintances have never seen ; occupation that leaves no 

 time for lassitude or ennui ; thoughts that carry him far away from the 

 worries and cares of life. He leads, indeed, a doul)le life, the peculiar 

 part of this second existence being that no one who has not been 

 admitted into the brotherhood of this sup2:)lementary life can under- 

 stand its interest or its charm. 



I have previously stated that I believe the best means of increas- 

 ing the general interest in entomology, is for each and all who have 

 the chance to point out the interesting side of the subject to those who 

 show signs of taking an interest therein. But to leave the educational 

 phase dealing rather witli recruits, I Avould turn to that phase of it 

 which affects the more advanced portion of the entomological com- 

 munity. 



I have already pointed out that the systematic arrangement and 

 naming of specimens was for many years the principal occupation of 

 scientific entomology. But, side by side with these, there has always 

 been an attempt to classify, as well as to name, the insects collected. As, 

 however, until very recent years, the early stages of comparatively few 

 insects were known (in many countries even now they are almost 

 altogether unknown), it is evident that such attempts as were made 

 (and in some countries are still being made) had to be based almost 

 entirely on the colour, shape, form and general appearance of the per- 

 fect insects. What conclusions were drawn from these methods you 

 all know. True it is that the conspicuous Sphinx larva ; the peculiar 

 method of progression of the Geometrid larva, and the leaf-rolling 

 habit of the Tortrix larva gave the family names to at least three large 

 groups ; but at the same time almost all the references to old works 

 make it only too sadly evident that the details of larval structure and their 

 meanings were either unknown, or if known, were not looked upon as 

 essential. As, however, the larger species became more and more 

 intimately studied and certain characters became recognised as impor- 

 tant, a new era of classification sprang up. This was instituted hy 

 Denis and Schiffermiiller, and since then many have followed their 

 lead. 



