998 [^rnCEEDlNGS OF THE TIIIHU ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



" 111 1890 E. T. Atkinson published in a supplement to tlie Journal 

 of the Asiatic Society of Bengal his catalogue of Oriental CarabidEe, an 

 excellent piece of book- work, but necessarily suffering, as such work 

 must always do, from his lack of special knowledge of the subject. He 

 himself only claims " to give a list of recorded species," and that he 

 did very well. 



" My own investigations have shown me (a) what an immense number 

 of changes and corrections result from a study of the material to be 

 catalogued, (b) How very far short I still am of arriving at anything 

 like finality in regard to already existing species. My second point 

 is, therefore, the importance of getting a subject catalogued, wherever 

 possible, by someone who has studied or is studying it. This I fear is 

 to some extent a Counsel of Perfection, but a general interest in Entomo- 

 logy seems to be increasing, as its economic importance becomes more 

 widely knowTi, and it ought not to be very difficult to induce more of 

 those who have the taste for it to make themselves experts in a small 

 group rather than remain amateurs in a more extended field. Where 

 it is impossible to get a catalogue on these lines, one of the Atkinson 

 type is most desirable, and sure of a cordial reception from entomo- 

 logical workers. 



" (3) It may be suggested that the existence of the now numerous 

 volumes of the " Fauna of India " series render catalogues more or less 

 unnecessary. Writmg as a Coleopterist only, I hardly think this view 

 will have much weight for another five and twenty — perhaps fifty — 

 years, for, although half a dozen volumes on Coleoptera have already 

 been published, not a single largo family has yet been completed, and 

 catalogues are likely therefore to be as necessary as ever for many years 

 to come. On their extreme importance to all workers in entomology 

 I need hardly insist, and progress during the coming years should be 

 materially increased by any stimulus which can be imparted to this 

 branch of the subject." 



This subject has, of course, been considered by the Committee 

 appointed to deal with this subject, so I will only now read the following 

 report of the Committee on this Cataloguing question : — 



" Report of Committee o)t. Catalogue of Indian Insects. 



" The Committee considers that it is very desirable that a General 

 Catalogue of all described Indian insects should be prepared and issued 

 and makes the following proposals to this end : — 



(1) That a Standing Committee of the Entomological Meeting be 

 appointed, with power to add to their number, to take the 



