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graphs of particular groups, or even of isolated genera. These have, 

 in all times, been considered of the greatest importance ; and I 

 am sure I cannot too often recall to your recollection the 'Monographia 

 Apum Angliae,' the finest entomological monograph hitherto pub- 

 lished. 



The Anatomy of Insects, either internal or external, also especially 

 merits, on account of its extreme importance, more attention than it 

 has of late received in this country. Two exceptions to this remark 

 of course at once present themselves to the mind, namely, Mr. New- 

 port's most valuable series of memoirs which have appeared in 

 the 'Transactions of the Royal Society,' and Mr. Haliday's re- 

 searches, which have not hitherto been published, but which we know 

 to be very elaborate, from the specimen which he gave to us at one of 

 our meetings, relative to the anatomy of that remarkable larva which 

 resides in the fresh-water sponge. It has always seemed astonishing 

 to me, that out of the vast numbers of young men educated for the 

 medical profession, so very few should attach themselves to the 

 anatomy of insects, or even to comparative anatomy in general. I 

 cannot but think, that if Natural History formed a branch of popular 

 education, many young men, who, as boys, had been devoted to 

 insects or any other branch of zoology, would, whilst pursuing their 

 academical or hospital researches, naturally apply the knowledge 

 which they were then acquiring to the objects for which they had 

 previously entertained a predilection. It is precisely this which takes 

 place in the German universities, and hence it is that so many excel- 

 lent Theses upon Entomology have been written by students on tak- 

 ing their degrees in that country. The vast strides also which have 

 been made in the improvement of microscopical instruments, ought to 

 produce some far more beneficial results to our science than have yet 

 been achieved. Instead of allowing his observations to extend over 

 the three kingdoms of Nature, if one microscopical observer would 

 confine his attention to the variations of structure of any particular 

 organ, or set of organs, of insects, tracing out its modifications, 

 and carefully describing and delineating the results, it is unquestion- 

 able that much good would ensue. The fine work of Stein, on 

 the female generative organs of the Coleoptera, affords an excellent 

 specimen of such a work. 



The Investigation of the Natural History of Insects, including, 

 of course, their preparatory states, is another branch of the subject 

 which cannot be too constantly kept ,in view ; in fact, it is surprising 

 to me that entomologists should in general be so regardless of the 



