94 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



our own Society in particular — there can be no exception to the 

 rule. Like an individual, it may experience its "ups and downs" 

 of Iife,but — having successfully passed through the dangers inci- 

 dent to infancy and childhood, attained its majority, and (still 

 under the able leadership of the respected President who has 

 made it what it is) entered upon the vigorous growth of early 

 manhood — its continued development and increased usefulness 

 and prosjDerity can be looked forward to with the utmost confi- 

 dence. This unchecked growth, or " healthy running on," to 

 use a horticultural expression, has imparted to the Society the 

 same sound and healthful condition that it always does to the 

 thriving plant ; and just as, under like favourable circumstances, 

 the latter is able to successfully withstand the very many trying 

 vicissitudes to which it in its nature is exposed, so luckily is the 

 Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society now far too 

 strongly established to be injuriously affected by such ephemeral 

 disasters as the possession of an inexperienced Vice-President or 

 the delivery of a weak Annual Address. 



To any member therefore who should happen to be present 

 to-night for the first time, I would appeal that he judge not the 

 calibre of the Society by this evening's discourse, but rather 

 regard the event as one of those momentary trials or adverse 

 epochs in its history to which communities in common with 

 individuals are exposed. To the older members I can only offer 

 my condolences ; like them, I sincerely regret the loss of the 

 usual interesting Address by our worthy President, and still more 

 deeply lament the cause which prevents him from being present 

 amongst us this evening. Those of you who have so often 

 enjoyed the great privilege of listening to the keen scientific 

 observations and wealth of anecdotal experience of so veteran an 

 entomologist as Mr. Capper will understand me when I say that 

 although exceedingly attractive to listen to he is a difficult man 

 to succeed, more especially for one who has so recently embarked 

 upon the study of that branch of Natural History with which 

 we are concerned this evening. Thus early does my difficulty 

 begin. 



A general survey of the entomological progress during the 

 century just closed would have been desirable, but beyond me, 

 and I thought it better to leave the matter untouched to a more 

 able successor. A review of the work of the past twelve months 

 had also to be abandoned, since owing to illness and other causes 

 I have of late been sadly out of touch with the subject. Then 

 in the presence of authorities like Mr. Pierce and the Kev. E. 

 Freeman I could scarcely descant on the Lepidoptera, whilst it 

 seemed equally presumptuous to address Dr. Ellis or Mr. Wilding 

 on the topic of beetles. And alas ! it is with the study of these 

 two orders of insects that the majority of our members are 

 concerned. 



