4.60 Liniucaii Sociflij 



little interest or utility ; but when the localities of the Anima- 

 lia rariora are given, or a district catalogue is worked into a 

 catalogue raisonnc, and includes facts before unknown with re- 

 gard to the animals it registers, it becomes a useful document. 

 To note tlie soil, the kind of country and atmosphere that 

 particular animals affect, makes such a catalogue more inter- 

 esting. The relative proportion, where glimpses of it can be 

 obtained, that different species bear to each other, or their 

 numerical distribution in any given district, is a speculation 

 worthy of the attention of the zoologist ; and likewise to ob- 

 tain as full an account as possible of those which are particu- 

 larly detrimental to us either in the garden, the orchard, the 

 forest, or the field. 



No papers will be more interesting than those which pin-sue 

 the history of an individual through its different states ; and 

 nothing is more important for the satisfactory elucidation of 

 natural grouj)s of insects, and in many cases to prove the 

 distinction of kindred species, than the knowledge of their 

 larvae. 



The above, and many others that I might name did the 

 time permit, appear to be legitimate objects of a Zoological 

 Society with respect to our indigenous animal productions. 

 What further observations I have to submit to your consider- 

 ation will relate to Zoology in general. No one who wishes 

 to be at home on the subject will confine his attention to the 

 animals of his own country. Doing this, he will acquire only 

 shreds and patches of knowledge, and see nothing in its real 

 station. 



When we consider the infinite number of nondescript ani- 

 mals, especially of insects, with which our cabinets swarm — 

 the hosts of new forms that meet our eyes in every collection 

 — the zoological treasures that our ships, whose sails over- 

 shadow every navigable sea, are daily bringing into our ports, 

 we cannot help lamenting that these, for the most part, must 



remain sine nomine turha. 



But let us flatter ourselves that the society, whose birth we 

 may date from this auspicious day*, will be the instrument of 

 bringing to light and knowledge many a curious and interest- 

 ing group, which would otherwise have remained unknown. 

 Nomina si percunt, j^erit et cognitio reruni, says Linnc. Names 

 are the foundation of knowledge ; and unless they have " a 

 name" as well as " a local habitation" with us, the zoological 

 treasures that we so highly prize might almost as well have 

 been left to jierish in their native deserts or forests, as have 



* Nov. 29, the biilh-cliiyofKay. 



