xlix 



well, all I should say in such a case is this, if B likes to 

 make a fool of himself, let him ; A is not in any way injured 

 thereby. 



The nuisance of describing from unique specimens has been 

 brought home to me very forcibly by my being asked over and 

 over again by my continental correspondents to supply them 

 with specimens of all the species I have ever described from 

 single specimens ; it seems uncourteous not to satisfy their 

 expectations, yet at the same time the thing is physically im- 

 possible, as by far the greater number of these unique specimens, 

 on which I founded species, still remain unique, and are not in 

 my own collection. 



Perhaps, if a species has not been regularlj^ established within 

 a period of say forty or fifty years from its first description, 

 it would be a safe plan to look upon it as non est, and to omit it 

 from our lists. Should it ever turn up in plenty it can always be 

 resuscitated. 



In vacating the chair, I must congratulate the Society that it 

 has elected as my successor Mr, Dunning, one who has- not been 

 guilty of my youthful follies of founding a score of species on 

 single specimens ; the contributions that Mr. Dunning has from 

 time to time made to the literature of Entomology have all been 

 conceived in a truly philosophical spirit, and I trust we may yet 

 see many more from his pen. 



I have now only to thank the Society for the kindness with 

 which my numerous shortcomings have been excused during the 

 past two years. 



