58 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February, 



Doings of Societies. 



Philadelphia, Jan. 8, 1895. 

 A stated meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social was held at the 

 residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1509 S. Thirteenth Street. Members 

 present: Messrs. Laurent, Haimbach, Boerner, Seeber, Hoyer, E. Wenzel, 

 Trescher, Fox, Dr. Castle, Johnson, H. VV. Wenzel and Schmitz. Hon- 

 orary member: Dr. Henry Skinner. Meeting called to order at 8.50 p.m. 

 President Laurent presiding. The annual reports of the Secretary and 

 Treasurer were read and approved, following which the President, Mr. 

 Philip Laurent, delivered the annual address, reviewing the history of the 

 Social since its organization, and, upon motion of Dr. Skinner, seconded 

 by Mr. Fox, the same was ordered to be incorporated in the minutes. 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



The Past, Present and Fatare of the Feldman Collecting Social.— Look- 

 ing backwards some six or seven years I see before me a number of gen- 

 tlemen gathered together in the entomological den of our host, Mr. Henry 

 Wenzel. What are they here for ? What are they doing? What could 

 have induced these men with comfortable homes to venture out such a 

 night as this ? They have met to form an entomological club, or more 

 strictly speaking a social. They are discussing rules and laws to govern 

 the same, and the selection of a suitable name by which the club shall he 

 known. What brought them together? love of companionship and the 

 advancement of their entomological studies, nothing more, nothing less. 

 No doubt all those present this evening, who took part in the first meet- 

 ing had their doubts as to the success of the venture, doubts which have 

 vanished long before this. At the time the Social was formed some 

 thought it rather strange that another entomological society should be 

 formed in a city wherein there was already such a society in existence 

 whose reputation for its collections, library and labor in the field of ento- 

 mology was known throughout the world. The fact was, that many of 

 those attending the meetings of the American Entomological Society, 

 many of whom were member.^ of the said society, did not find the social 

 feature represented there to any great extent, and it is perhaps well that 

 it should be so, otherwise in time the social feature might eventually rule 

 the meetings, which would certainly bring about a deplorable state of 

 affairs. The fact is, the rooms of the American Entomological Societ)^ 

 are for work, while the rooms of the Feldman Collecting Social are for 

 social intercourse and pleasure, at least this is the case on the second 

 Tuesday of each month, while it is true that during the rest of the month 

 considerable entomological work is done, especially by our host, Mr. 

 Wenzel. 



One year after the organization of the Social there was found to be no 

 decrease in the membership, in fact there never has been any. During 

 the second year two of the members resigned from the Social, but their 



