( Ixvii ) 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Gentlemen, 



I AM uncomfortably aware that, although I have 

 myself frequently derived valuable instruction from my con- 

 nection with this Society, I cannot hope to be able to impart 

 to those who habitually attend our meetings any new infor- 

 mation, or to record any observations which are hkely to be 

 credited with the charm of originahty by those who for the 

 most part devote far more time and attention to entomological 

 study than I have ever done. 



I shall therefore make no such ambitious attempt upon this 

 occasion, but shall rather endeavour to apply my remarks to 

 the general subject, and with a view to reach not only beyond 

 this room, but, if possible, even somewhat beyond the range 

 of this Society, to illustrate some of the difficulties which 

 surround the study of Entomology, as well as the charms by 

 which it attracts its votaries. Although to my present 

 audience it is not surprising that anyone with a love for 

 investigation, or with any degree of curiosity as to the laws 

 which regulate the production and variation of natural objects 

 should be interested in the study of insects, we must all 

 admit that to the majority of the men and women we meet in 

 every-day life it seems unaccountably strange that anyone 

 gifted with an average degree of human intelligence should 

 devote any considerable share of time or attention to collecting 

 and observing the lower forms of hfe. From the point of 

 view taken by such unqualified critics, the attractive beauty 

 of some of the larger diurnal Lepidoptera, or the brilliant 

 metallic colouring of the Cetoniadm and other families of 

 Coleoptera, are alone worthy of appreciation. They cannot 

 deny the useful influence that such magnificent examples of 



