CHAP. VIIL] STUDY OF ENTOMOLOGY 55 



or beneficial habits of various species of insects. . . . The 

 Exhibition is organised by the 'Societe d'Insectologie 

 Agricole ' under the Presidency of Dr. Boisduval, one of 

 the Vice-Presidents of the Horticultural Society of Paris, 

 and under the auspices of the Minister of Agriculture, 

 Commerce, and Public Works. The object of this Society 

 (and consequently of the Exhibition itself) is twofold : 

 firstly, to investigate the economy and to extend the benefits 

 resulting from insects serviceable to mankind ; and secondly, 

 to study the habits of those species which affect our gardens, 

 orchards, farms or forests, in order to arrest their ravages or 

 destroy them individually." 



Details were given at some length of the classes of subjects 

 to be represented, in the hope that it might attract the atten- 

 tion of the Council of our own Horticultural Society to the 

 desirability of arranging some similar exhibition, and, on 

 the 22nd of August following, the public were informed 

 (again in the " Gardeners' Chronicle," p. 893) that "the 

 desideratum lately pointed out as falling within the province 

 of the Royal Horticultural Society to supply, viz., a Collec- 

 tion of Insects (and their products), is now in a fair way to 

 be made good." A short sketch was given of the plan on 

 which it was proposed to deal with the subject, in which 

 the " insect friends " of the horticulturist were the division 

 to be placed first. Following these were to be " gardeners' 

 enemies," and the plants on which they feed ; next to these 

 again, " insects beneficial or injurious to man." Negotia- 

 tions on the part of the Council of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society with the Science and Art Department resulted in 

 the agreement that, if the Society would form the Collec- 

 tion, the Department would house, care for, and display it. 

 The eminently qualified Fellows of the Society, Mr. Wilson 

 Saunders, Mr. Andrew Murray (pp. 75 and 87), and Mr. M. ]. 

 Berkeley, agreed to lend their best assistance in the matter, 

 and Mr. Murray, at the request of the Council, undertook 

 the most laborious part of the task that of receiving, 

 arranging, and putting in order the various specimens that 

 might be sent from time to time. All collectors and 

 observers who might be willing to help were requested to 

 communicate with Mr. Murray, and without delay I availed 

 myself of the opportunity, in pleasant anticipation of the 

 entomological co-operation giving a use to what had been 

 previously somewhat desultory observation. 



I was singularly well situated for the collection of ordinary 

 kinds of injurious insects, and for the observation of their 



