( cv ) 



Science, especially at the present moment, plays a most im- 

 portant part in many questions, often of extreme urgency, 

 affecting the health of the Nation and its forces at home and 

 abroad, its food supplies, its timber, and the raw material of 

 its manufactures, views with the gravest concern any action 

 that would ini])ede work essential to the National welfare. 

 '' Such work includes :— 



" (1) The investigation into the relation between insects 

 and the spread of such deadly diseases as typhus, plague, 

 malaria, yellow fever, sleeping sickness, etc., to which our 

 troops are exposed in various parts of the world. 



" (2) The prevention of the attacks of innumerable insect 

 pests upon every kind of food crop, whether growing, in 

 transit, or in storage, by which the available suj^plies are very 

 materially reduced, and occasionally even totally destroyed. 



" (3) The protection of timber, cotton, and other raw 

 materials essential to the conduct of the war, from the many 

 pests that attack them. 



" Towards the solution of these problems the collections at 

 the Museum have in the past largely contributed, and many 

 of them are at present under investigation. 



"■ The proposed action of His Majesty's Government in 

 reference to the Natural History Museum, would have a dis- 

 astrous effect upon work which demands continual reference 

 to its enormous collections. It is obvious that to be of any 

 practical value these must always be readily available, and 

 moreover their removal would not only be a very lengthy under- 

 taking, but could not be carried out without irreparable damage. 

 " The Entomological Society of London feels bound there- 

 fore to enter the strongest possible protest against such pro- 

 posed action, the full consecjuences of which can hardly have 

 been realized, and in the interests of the Empire urges that 

 the suggested interference with these important collections 

 should be abandoned. 



" Signed on behalf of the Council, 



" G. B. LoNGSTAFF, Vice-President." 



The Council desires to express its great regret at the retire- 

 ment of the Treasurer in consequence of ill-health, and also 



