OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 17 



IMPGRTANCE OF ENTOMOLOGY AS A STUDY. 



Time was when the entomologist was looked upon as a mere 

 trifling enthusiast. The derisive terra "bug-hunter" was applied to 

 him, as though his sole occupation in life was to run after and catch 

 "bugs." So long as he contented himself with such trivial doings, 

 the epithet was, perhaps, not undeserved ; but that day has long since 

 passed away! A whole galaxy of illustrious names — Schwammer- 

 dam, Ray, Eosel, K6iumur, De Geer, Latreille, Lamarck, Lyonnet, 

 Linngeus, Fabricius, Kirby, Spence, Harris, Say, and others, of days 

 gone b}'", and hundreds of others of the present day — stand forth to 

 redeem the science of entomology from such obloquy; and I hazard 

 nothing in the statement that not even her sister science, botany, may 

 boast of a literature more extensive or more worthy, whether judged 

 by its intrinsic merit as pabulum for the philosopher, as a storehouse 

 of facts for the practical man, or as a conscientious and accurate pre- 

 sentation of the pure and unalloyed truths of nature. I am aware 

 that, among those who have never opened the pages of her vast 

 treasure-book, there is yet a prevailing belief that insects are little, 

 contemptible things, unworthy any special attention on our part; 

 but if it does not detract from our idea of the majesty of a Creator to 

 have produced myriads upon myriads of these tiny beings, so perfect 

 in their many parts that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like 

 the very meanest of them, it should not, surely, derogate from man's 

 dignity to study them in all their infinitesimal perfection. Nothing 

 is great or small but by comparison. The earth is a mere mustard 

 seed compared to the sun, and the sun, viewed in comparison with 

 the host of starry suns scattered through infinite space, sinks into 

 complete insignificance. Now, what should we say of a school-boy 

 who objected to study geography because the earth was too small a 

 body to be worlhy his attention ? 



In common with all the other sciences, Entomology, viewed solely 

 as an educator, enriches the human mind by adding to its store of 

 knowledge; and has few, if any, equals as a means of developing the 

 observing faculties of the young. The life-habits of insects — their 

 wonderful metamorphoses, their instructive industries — furnish ample 

 food for reflection, and for our natural love of the curious and marvel- 

 ous; and it is surprising that the fact has not been more fully recog- 

 nized in our educational systems. Botany has long since had her 

 place in our schools, and her importance as a means of mental train- 

 ing is not ignored. Yet lessons in animal life — the histories of living, 

 sentient, active creatures — can certainly be made as instructive and 

 entertaining as lessons in vegetative plant-life, and should receive as 

 much or more attention. 



E.R — 2 



