4 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



therefore, be ascribed to other causes. In the Shackleton 

 Antarctic Expedition, experiments on rotifers shewed their 

 wonderful powers of resistance to low temperatures and 

 ultra-salt water, which powers are necessary, seeing that 

 they are only thawed for a short time in the summer, being 

 frozen up all the rest of the year a pleasant existence ! 

 Organized war is now being made against the locusts in 

 South Africa, with some success ; but the insects are so 

 prolific and destructive that the campaign is never-ending. 

 In connection with this it may be mentioned that the Govern- 

 ment has appointed an African Entomological Research 

 Committee to deal chiefly with the diseases in which insects 

 play so conspicuous a part as carriers. The magnificent 

 collection of Micro-Lepidoptera, from all parts of the world, 

 presented some time ago to the British Museum by Lord 

 Walsingham, whom we have the advantage of numbering 

 amongst our members, is now to be removed to the Natural 

 History Museum, and the importance of the gift may be appre- 

 ciated from the fact that the collection is the finest in existence, 

 and adds about 45,000 species to the 40,000 already in the 

 Museum. The smallest known insect, measuring only 

 about 1 -125th inch in length, has lately most obligingly 

 introduced itself to the scientific world by walking into the 

 field of a microscope, otherwise it would undoubtedly have 

 remained unknown. It belongs to the Hymenoptera, and may 

 be one of those whose larvae live on the contents of the eggs of 

 moths or other insects. It is an Indian species, and rejoices in 

 the name of Alaptus magnanimus. Great attention is now being 

 devoted to research amongst fish, and the North Sea and Baltic 

 and adjacent waters have been well investigated by the 

 bordering countries, especially England, so that much is now 

 known about their inhabitants. It is found that some years 

 are far more favourable for the breeding of fish than others, 

 and that the products of these years largely preponderate in 

 the catches. Though the young eels have been found in 

 different stages, and their life history is practically known, 

 neither the eggs nor the actually spawning fish have yet 



