( Ixviii ) 



the wealth of design in nature may have upon artistic taste ; 

 the consequent refinement and increased enjoyment of Hfe, so 

 far as it is dependent upon kixurious culture, appeals to their 

 minds in an intelligible manner ; but when the studies of 

 entomologists lead them to regard with interest the most 

 minute and inconspicuous insects, such apparent waste of 

 energy passes the comprehension of the uninitiated. When 

 collecting in California many years ago I was frequently 

 asked, " But how do you make it pay?" Our too attractive 

 and engrossing study needs no defence here, but before 

 referring to another phase of the subject, I may, perhaps, 

 be allowed to mention a few of the more apparent advantages 

 which are to be derived from it. 



As an illustration of the too often questioned practical 

 usefulness of entomological studies (among many instances), 

 I cannot refer to one more striking than the successful im- 

 portation of the Australian parasites infesting the scale-inaect, 

 Icerya purchasi, which has proved so noxious to the orange 

 plantations in California. From the moment it was recog- 

 nised that this scale-insect was of Australian origin. Dr. 

 Kiley conceived the idea of studying its life-history in its 

 native habitat, and availing himself, if possible, of such 

 information as could be collected about its natural enemies. 

 In 1887 Mr. Koebele, and in 1889 Mr. F. M. Webster, were 

 sent out to Australia for this purpose, and succeeded in ship- 

 ping various consignments of the dipterous and hymenopterous 

 parasites, as well as predaceous Coleoptera, which they found 

 attacking the Icerya there. These, after some failures, were 

 successfully introduced into California, and, under the care of 

 Mr. Coquillet, various experiments were carried out, proving 

 that the ladybird, Vedolia cardinalis, was the most active and 

 efficient of its enemies. By the 12th of June, 1888, 10,555 

 of the imported ladybirds had been bred and distributed at 

 the experimental station at Los Angelos, and in nearly every 

 one of the 208 different colonies thus established their accli- 

 matisation has proved successful. They have now spread 

 very widely, and instances are recorded where the oranges 

 and other trees hitherto thickly infested with this noxious 

 scale have been practically cleared of Icerya by their aid. 



