NOTES, CAPTURES, KTC. 167 



directing attention to the histories of, and remedies for, the 

 insect pests which yearly cause it a heavy loss. Still the subject 

 requires to be more worked out by the public at large, for the 

 words of Edward Newman still remain as true as when he wrote 

 them. Agriculturists know only too well the difficulties and 

 losses, but it is only occasionally they have the time and 

 special knowledge requisite to work out the observations how 

 best to meet them ; and entomologists, though acquainted 

 with the history of the insects themselves, are often un- 

 acquainted practically with the working of the prescribed 

 remedies, which are necessarily not adapted for the exi- 

 gencies of each special case. To do good both must work 

 together. Unless the cause of disease is known, prevention 

 is impossible and cure impracticable, and, besides the 

 history of the insect, we need returns of the amount of 

 its presence or absence under various circumstances, to 

 know which is the predisposing or counteracting one. " The 

 progress of every science depends upon the discovery of 

 facts, which may be called scientific practice, and upon 

 the conclusions deduced from them — that is, on theory 

 and practice. They may be compared to the army and 

 diplomacy in statecraft. Diplomacy wages no actual warfare, 

 but is not selciom the cause of it: and the soldiers have to 

 make experiment after experiment, to marshal facts against 

 facts, until it appears which side is the stronger." So writes 

 Professor Max von Pettenkofer, in the current number of the 

 ' Contemporary Review' ; and with that axiom in view, our 

 aim now is to develop and weld together the soldiers and 

 diplomatists of agricultural entomology. With this view a 

 pamphlet has recently been printed, accompanied by ruled 

 and columned sheets for the purpose of recording monthly 

 observations on certain selected insects, for the most part 

 remarkable for the injury they cause to our common crops. 

 For convenience of observers, the sheets are accompanied by 

 short but popular descriptions and clearly-drawn figures of 

 the insect pests, which it is hoped may save all difficulties 

 in ascertaining what insect is intended, and guard against 

 consequent errors. Thus, it is now hoped to obtain a 

 general series of observations ihrough tiie country, which, 

 if followed up even partially, cannot I'ail to be of service. 

 Their object is to arrive at cause and effect as influenced by 

 various conditions of locality, weather, soil, and more 



