tiHcatioM to the eiitouiulogist, uamely, the \'eiy increased degree of 

 general attention now paid to the study ol" natural history, and espe- 

 cially to Entomology, and which, I think, may be now considered a.s 

 a powerful ri\ al of tlie sister science of Botany. Moreover, it is not 

 in England alone that this is the case ; in France and Germany, Italy 

 and Sweden, Russia, Austria, and America, we find the same energy ; 

 and now-a-days it is no eas)' matter even to keep au courant with the 

 proceedings of the numerous entomologists of those countries. 



Mr. Vigors in his address to the Zoological Club in 1830, observed, 

 " It is one of the prominent features of the present times that natu- 

 ralists aim at a hapj)y union of true science with popular attraction. 

 The principle of ' Gratior pulchro veniens in corpore virtus' was never 

 more strongly exemplified than in these popular publications. When 

 I mention to you that copies of these publications" (referring to 'The 

 Menageries' and ' Insect Architecture', published by the Society for 

 the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge,) "have been disseminated by tens 

 of thousands, you may calculate not merely how many readers parti- 

 cipate in the delights of the study, but liow many of them may be 

 induced from the perusal to become observers of nature, if not active 

 cooperators in the science. " If there were this cause for exultation 

 when only one M)lume devoted to insects was published by this So- 

 ciety, surely we have much greater grounds for gratification when 

 three similar volumes upon entomological subjects have been issued 

 by it, viz. — ' Insect Architecture', ' Insect Transformations', and 

 ' Insect Miscellanies'; a similar volume by the Society for the Promo- 

 tion of Christian Knowledge, two volumes on the Natural History of 

 Insects in Mr. Murray's Family Library, two in Constable's Mis- 

 cellany, and one (on Beetles) in Sir William Jardine's Naturalist's Li- 

 brarj', besides numerous detaclied articles in those widely spreading 

 papers, the Penny and Saturday Magazines. The establishment like- 

 wise of several periodical works devoted exclusively to our science 

 in Germany, France, and England, are striking evidences of the cor- 

 rectness of this idea. 



If we now descend a step in our views, we still find matters of equal 

 gratification in the practical nature of a considerable portion of the pro- 

 ceedings of our own Society. Need I mention the memoirs which have 

 been read before us upon the Domestic Fly by Mr. Spence; upon the 

 Nature of Resin and Amber Insects, by the Rev. F. W. Hope; the 

 memoirs upon Silk and Silk Insects, and upon the Ravages of Lim- 

 noria terebrans, by the same gentleman; the proposed establishment 

 of premiums for Prize Essays ; the memoir upon Apple Blight, by 

 Mr. Lewis ; or the proceedings of our committee upon the ravages of 

 the Cane Fly, &c. ? In like manner the natural history and ceconomy 

 of various species of insects have been in an especial manner brought 

 before the notice of the Society, as in the memoirs of Lieut.-C^ol. 

 Sykes upon various East India Ants and other Indian Insects; that 

 of Mr. Shuckard upon the Fossorial Hynienoptera of our own 

 country ; that of Mr. Christy upon the Tamarind Beetle ; that of 

 Mr. Saunders upon various species of East Indian Insects ; that of 

 INTr. Waterhouse upon Tfnphidia, &c. 



