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THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ENTOMOLOGY IN AMERICA IN 1879. 



Address of President J. A. Lintner, at the late meeting of the 

 Entomological Club of the A. A. A. S. 



Gentlemen : — 



In the remarks which I presented to 

 the Club at our last annual meeting, a 

 brief review was given of the progress 

 in American Entomology within the pre- 

 ceding half century. It was shown that 

 within the last few years rapid progress 

 hati been made ; that the study of insects 

 had enlisted the labors of many earnest 

 and successful workers, and given to them 

 names honored in science both at home 

 and abroad ; that many large and valuable 

 collections had been accumulated — several 

 of which contained so large a number of 

 types that their preservation in the future 

 was a matter demanding serious considera- 

 tion ; that the literature had become quite 

 extensive ; that much had been done in 

 working out the life-histories of our species 

 and presenting them to the public in their 

 economic relations ; and finally, that the 

 importance of the study had at last been 

 recognized here, as long ago it had been 

 in Europe, by a Commission appointed by 

 our General Government for the investiga- 

 tion of some of the insect pests which 

 were the occasion of serious pecuniary loss, 

 poverty, and almost starvation in some 

 portions of our country. 



It affords me pleasure to be able to re- 

 port, that the past year has shown no 

 diminution of interest or activity in our 

 department, but that work in it is being 

 prosecuted with an energy and with results 

 fully up to any other department of 

 Natural Science, if we except those to 

 which Congress and several of our States 

 are extending their liberal aid. 



If fewer new species have been described 

 during the year, we may find encourage- 

 ment in the explanation that we are ap- 

 proaching the period, if not already 

 reached, when a new species may not be 

 claimed as the reward of every entomolo- 

 gical excursion. And indeed, there does 

 not seem to be urgent need of descriptions 

 of forms so very far in advance of some 

 degree of knowledge of transformations, 



habits and relations to the vegetable 

 world. 



An evidence of increasing interest is to 

 be found in the frequent inquiries made 

 for instructions in collecting, apparatus for 

 preparation, and books for study. While 

 the first two requests can be promptly met, 

 not so with the last. We are unable to 

 place in the hands of the student the vol- 

 umes which he requires for naming his 

 collections. This cannot but be the oc- 

 casion of discouragement to the beginner, 

 and often the cause of diversion of earnest 

 labor to other departments of natural 

 history. A great need of our science at 

 the present is, monographs of the families 

 prepared by specialists, in which descrip- 

 tions of all the species shall be given (not 

 simply referred to), and accompanied by 

 such synoptical tables and illustrations as 

 will enable the student readily to ascertain 

 the names of any species which has been 

 described. 



At our last meeting I stated to you that 

 the names of 281 persons are recorded in 

 the last edition of the Naturalists' Directory 

 who are making Entomology their study in 

 North America, and that it was probable 

 that a full list would extend the number to 

 at least 350. It now appears that half the 

 truth was not told. A list kept by the 

 Secretary of the Cambridge Entomological 

 Club, published in Psyche, vol. ii. p. 9 of 

 Advertiser, accompanying the numbers for 

 Sept.-Dec, 1878, contained at the close of 

 last year the names of 762 Entomolgists 

 in the United States and Dominion of 

 Canada. I am informed by the Secretary 

 that the list at the present time, without 

 having been subjected to a critical revision, 

 contains 835 names. 



As a record of the current literature of 

 any science is virtually a record of the pro- 

 gress of that science, may I ask your atten- 

 tion to a brief notice of some of the publi- 

 cations of the year following our St. Louis 

 meeting. 



A work that might serve as a model in 

 the illustration of insects in their relations 

 to the plants upon which they feed or fre- 

 quent, is one of the unique series by Mr. 



