THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA AND 



ITS WORK.* 



By Henry H. Lyman, M. A., Montreal. 



It is with considerable diffidence that I venture to address 

 the members of the Entomological Society of America on the 

 woik of the new Society, and trust that I may not be thought 

 guilty of presumption in so doing. 



It was, naturally, a souice of gratification to me that the 

 Society, should be bi ought into existence under such happy 

 auspices and secure such wa m support from so large a number 

 of the most eminent entomologists of the Continent, and I have 

 as much reason as the able officers and Executive Committee 

 for hoping that it will fill a useful role in the history of North 

 Ameiican entomology. But in order that this may be so and 

 its existence justified, seveial conditions are necessary. 



If it were to be mainly a society of professional entomologists, 

 it might well be questioned why it should exist in addition to 

 the Society of Economic Entomologists, as, at least on this Con- 

 tinent, almost all professional entomologists are, of necessity, 

 economic ones. It seems to me that the Society wull fall short of 

 its highest usefulness if it fails to secure the support and co-oper- 

 ation of the great body of amateur entomologists, and that its 

 usefulness will be in p: ©portion to its success in bringing amateurs 

 and professionals into touch with each other, and in winning 

 both to the support of its aims. But what are its aims? Accord- 

 ing to the Constitution, "It shall be the purpose of this Society 

 to promote the science of entomology in all its branches, to secure 

 co-operation in all measures tending to that end, and to facilitate 

 personal intercourse between entomologists." 



This is the oflicial statement of the aims of the Society in the 

 broadest and simplest words, but may we not with advantage 

 elaborate them a little more. To take the last item first, viz. : 

 "To facilitate personal intercourse between entomologists;" so 

 far as this is accomplished, it must be productive of much good, 

 as the better we know each other the better we should under- 

 stand each other, and if we understand each other and desire to 



■ * Read before the Society at Chicago, December 30th, 1907. 



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