Ixiv THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



sine Uvea, Avere acted upon, the amount of knowledge thus 

 accumulated would soon be very considerable. 



Of course books might materially assist by pointing out the 

 particulars most necessary for observation, and by giving the 

 results of the observations of others. But some are deterred 

 by an idea of the vast number of books required. It is certainly 

 expedient that we should know what others have written, if we 

 are about to write on the subject ourselves, and here we have 

 not the very great advantage possessed by our friends in other 

 places, (such for example as Melbourne) of a fine and well 

 stocked public library. Yet this want of books need not 

 frighten any, at least, at the beginning of his researches. With 

 the addition of Kirby and Spencers Introduction to Ento- 

 mology, our members have already in their hands quite 

 sufficient for making a good beginning. Our Transactions 

 already contain descriptions of several large families sufficiently 

 complete to assist the student very materially. Monographs 

 on the iVustralian species of the Scaritida and the Avirjcteridce, 

 among the larger Coleoptera, of the Scydmcenides, the Parnides 

 and Pselaphidm among the smaller, and of the gall-bearing 

 Coccidce among the Homoptera are already accessible, and may 

 form excellent starting points. 



If this plan be adopted and our own Papers be taken as 

 the foundation of Entomological study, much advantage will be 

 derived not only by the student, but also by our Society 

 generally. There are few of the families named in which it is 

 not probable that very many species are yet to be discovered. 

 The detection of a new or undiscovered species will always act 

 as an encouragement to the beginner. The advantage to the 

 Society will be the verification of the species. It is a great 

 satisfaction to an author to find that his species are recognized 

 by an independent observer ; and any errors or ambiguities of 

 description are often more readily discovered by another eye 

 than that of the describer. Additional information also, with 

 reference to described species, is often of more practical value 

 tbnn the bare description even of new species. 



