Oct., '02] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 243 



Lost Knowledge. 

 By John B. Smith. 



In the April number of the News Mr. Baker calls attention to a matter 

 under the above heading that has no doubt occurred to every student and 

 every collector. To one who has done editorial work the subject is a 

 constant aggravation. Men have told me of really interesting observa- 

 tions made and have had no hesitation in giving their experience fieely 

 when opportunity served; but as to putting it on paper — "not all the 

 king's horses nor all the king's men " could induce them to do that. 



There is no experienced collector or student who does not have a stock 

 of information concerning his especial hobby that no one else has ; but it 

 is not always possible to formulate this information for publication. 



Dr. Lugger, to whom Mr. Baker refers, was a somewhat extreme type, 

 whom it was a pleasure to know and of whom it certainly could not be 

 said that he hesitated about imparting observations when they were 

 called for. I have been with him often, in the field, and never without 

 learning from his experience ; but it would have been very hard to have 

 put what I thus gained into readable form. It was a fragment here and 

 there ; brought up by a locality, by a specimen or by some casual remark 

 or observation. And so, when sitting over his collection, comments 

 would be made ; on a structure, on some peculiar life habit or on some 

 point of systematic interest. In the evening, over a social glass, other 

 experiences would be discussed and many useful points were brought out. 



This leads to the point that there are many fragmentary observations 

 that really assume importance only when brought out by some others 

 which they complement or confirm. Hence the place for such observa- 

 tions is in the discussions at society meetings. On turning back to the 

 earlier numbers of the Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., it will be found that Dr. 

 Lugger kept up his end of the discussions there. and brought out from his 

 stores such facts as were called for. They appeared, credited to him and 

 just where they belonged. Reading over some of the Reports of the 

 meetings of the Ent. Club of the A. A. A. S., numerous records of this 

 character will be found, and in the Reports of the meeting of the Associ- 

 ation of Economic Entomologists is a perfect storehouse of interesting and 

 useful notes. 



What is needed in all societies is a recording secretary who thoroughly 

 understands the subject ; who can grasp the points made by each, and 

 who can state succinctly just wiiat was intended, giving proper credit to 

 each speaker. With a presiding ofHcer who knows the members and who 

 can encourage each to bring out his experience, the records of the meet- 

 ings when published will make all these individual observations available. 



Now I am quite aware that this does not in all respects cover the point 

 made by Mr. Baker ; but experienced students do not like to publish frag- 

 ments, for, until they have them in their relation to the entire surround- 



