48 entomological news. [February, 



Anent the letter from " W. R. H." I was thinking only a few days ago 

 that the News seemed to run more to decsriptive matter than formerly 

 and wondered if this change was made purposely or because of lack of 

 any other sort of material. Maybe I am wrong in thinking that there is 

 any change. I have not looked over the old numbers to see if I am right 

 or not. Even now I always find more pleasure in reading of someone's 

 experiences in the field or an account of the habits of even common 

 insects than in the perusal of heavy descriptions of species or quarrels 

 over the taxonomic value of a spine or a wing vein. Of course all these 

 things have to go in to make up a journal which will appeal to all classes. 

 But I wonder after all what do the " mere collectors " want? I started 

 out in the collecting of insects with no more literature than a "continued 

 story " entitled : "Rambles after Insects," which appeared in an English 

 magazine brought over with us when we first landed on the shores of 

 America. I didn't know where to get anything else nor what to ask for 

 even, yet it wasn't long before I was using a borrowed copy of LeConte's 

 "Classification" and taking instructions as to mounting and collecting 

 from Packard's "Instructions" published by the Smithsonian Institute. 

 I well remember how pleased I was with my copy of Say's "Entomology" 

 which represented my savings for a long time. Then one of my friends 

 sent me a sample copy of " Entomologica Americana " and, through cor- 

 respondence with those whose names I saw, I finally got some slight idea 

 as to how things were done. — H. F. W. 



Entomologists in general, and lepidopterists in particular, may be 

 interested in learning that the little son of the late Rev. Dr. A. Good, 

 who was his father's companion and aid in collecting the many species of 

 West African Lepidoptera, described by Dr. Holland, now resides with 

 his widowed mother in Wooster, Ohio, and is fast developing into an 

 enthusiastic and careful collector. Though but a boy of 12 or 13 years, 

 he has already collected and carefully mounted nearly all of the common 

 flutterflies and moths, occurring in his vicinity, and otherwise shows an 

 aptitude that is surprising. He has very evidently imbibed or inherited 

 from his father a love of entomology, and it seems to me that an encour- 

 aging word from older lepidopterists would not only have a beneficial 

 effect and be well bestowed, but also in future that they may have reason 

 to feel gratified at having done so. Such may address Albert Good, 

 Wooster, Ohio. — F. M. Webster, Wooster, Ohio. 



Prior to 1800 the entomological papers published in the United States 

 numbered not more than half a dozen; and it is worthy of note that not a 

 single description of a new species of insect appeared in print in this 

 country until after the above date, although several naturalists in Europe 

 had been for some time describing and naming insects sent to them by 

 collectors in the New World. The following are all the papers published 

 in the United States on entomological subjects before 1800, that the 

 present writer is aware of. In the Transactions of the American Philo- 

 sophical Society, held at Philadelphia, for promoting useful knowledge, 



