only treated to shakes of tbe bea<l and sinister looks, as though he 

 were some dangerous character, when in answer to their questions 

 "Wliat are they for?" "What do you do with them ?" he can not 

 assure liis interrogators that he either eats or, tliat which last of all 

 he would do, sells his specimens. 



But I have said that the change for the better in this respect has 

 even now set in. Already the most highly civilized nations of the world 

 nobly beaded by the Government of the most practical and energetic 

 people on the face of the globe, the inhabitants of the United States of 

 America, have seen the advantage of appointing specialists who can 

 devise means for the prevention of the enormous losses of revenue due 

 to the attacks of injurious insects. Germany, England and her col- 

 onies, notably Canada and particularly the province of Ontario, France, 

 Italy, and other nations, ali have followed the lead, and our favorite 

 science has now changed frocx a study and amusement of the few to 

 one of the most important branches of practical agriculture, the ele- 

 ments of which must be known by all engaged in tilling the soil or they 

 will surely suffero AJieady it finds a place upon the curricula of many 

 of our schools and colleges and before long will force itself upon the 

 notice of others. There has been a rai)id development in this line, not 

 only in this country, but everywhere, during the last two or three years, 

 and many new men have come to the front. My presumption does not 

 carry me so far as to criticise these or other workers ; but perhaps I 

 may be permitted to refer to some of the dangers which beset a newly 

 appointed entomologist, and particularly a young one. In such a task 

 one must necessarily (for safety's sake) refer to what has occurred to 

 himself in his own experience. The first consideration must of course 

 always be to succeed in the work which you have undertaken, and 

 I can not help thinking that some err considerably when they think 

 that they will be expected to know everything and must answer every 

 question off'hand. On this point I am speaking particularly of our re- 

 lations with farmers, who are as a rule very practical men, made so by 

 the exigencies of their lives, but who are frequently those who have not 

 had the advantages of a liberal education, and consequently have not 

 the consideration and moderation which that alone gives. Moreover, 

 as there is no policy so i)Oor, because it is invariably seen through, as 

 that which i)rorapts an entomologist, when seeking information from one 

 whom he knows is better posted than himself, to try and hide his lack 

 of knowledge by making excuses why he does not recognize that exact 

 specimen, or by asking indefinite questions in the hope of getting what 

 he requires, without in so many words acknowledging his ignorance, so 

 in the same way does he expose himself to the contempt and want of 

 confidence from those in whom he most desires to inspire respect, by 

 trying to put them off with an indefinite answer. It has been my ex- 

 perience that a modest and honest acknowledgment of ignorance is no 

 disgrace and brings no degradation with it, whilst an assumption of 



