( cxxii ) 



advantage? Prof. Huxley, in his Aiialomi/ of Ivrerlehrale 

 Animals, says of tlie male genital arniatuie in the cockroach, 

 that " It consists of a number of chitinous processes havmg 

 the form of plates and hooks, the exact form and disposition 

 of which could l)e made intelligible only by numerous figures." 

 There is much point in that statement, which applies as much, 

 I think, to many of the Lepidoptera as to Blalta, and I hope 

 my friends will b6ar it in mind. 



Gentlemen, there is another subject on wliicli 1 ,Ji<iuld like 

 to offer ;i few^ remark.; this evening while it is still fresh in 

 your minds, and that is the importance of Entomology in 

 relation to the State. It is a subject in which this Society, 

 if it is to continue true to the aims of its Founders, is bound 

 to take a very deep interest; and. as I need scarcely remind 

 you, it is one on which there are other views than your own. 

 There is, for example, the view which evidently had influenced 

 the Government in their recent proposal to remove the 

 collections from the Natural History Museum and to stow 

 them elsewhere^ — the ])roposal against which the Society has 

 strongly protested, and which, if carried out, would almost 

 inevitably have had the effect of interfering greatly with the 

 scientific work of the entomologists of this country, and of 

 bringing to a standstill the valuable and important work that 

 was being done in the interests of the nation by the stafTs 

 of the Museum and of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology. 

 Although it is satisfactory to the Society to know that that 

 preposterous pi'oposal has hccn dropped, the mere fact that 

 it had been entertained by the Government will give you 

 some idea of what value and inipt)rtance they attach to 

 l*jiit()m()log\'. That science has ])rol)ably formed little or no 

 part of their education, and they cannot be expected to see 

 as clearly as you and I how imj)ortant is the work done by 

 Entomology, and what great benefit it would be to the State 

 if it were properly encouraged, as.sisted, and organised in its 

 service. There are many and various ways in which Ento- 

 mology has already proved itself to be of great use to the 

 State, and the })ossibilities for the future are also great. 

 This whole subject deserves your serious consideration, and 

 1 very nuich regret that 1 have not come prepared to deal 



