28 

 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 



BY F. MUIR. 



This meeting brings to a close the ninth year of our So- 

 ciety. The first meeting was held December 15th, 1904; since 

 then we have held 100 meetings. During this period we have 

 published two volumes, consisting in all of 521 pages and 11 

 plates, as well as many text figures. At no time has our mem- 

 bership been greater than -40, and then many are patrons rather 

 than members, whose generosity enable us to publish our "Pro- 

 ceedings". Besides the many papers dealing with our local in- 

 sect fauna, which wdll be invaluable to future entomologists in 

 these Islands, we have published descriptions of many new spe- 

 cies from other j)laces in the Pacific. The results may appear 

 small when compared with those of some of the larger Societies 

 on the mainland ; but when we consider the small, isolated com- 

 munity from which we have to draw our members, I think you 

 will all agree with me in looking upon the achievements of our 

 little Society as fully justifying its existence. Nor does this 

 represent the entire activity of our members, for, apart from 

 professional work, which is published by the respective Bureau 

 or Station of the members, several of our members have pub- 

 lished extensively elsewhere. 



I do not make these remarks in a spirit of vainglory, but 

 simply because pessimism will ofttimes attack our hearts, and 

 we wonder if all the trouble of keeping our Society in existence 

 is in a worthy cause. Well, gentlemen, I consider anything that 

 brings us together to discuss the science which we are devoted 

 to, and enables us to place on record our observations and opin- 

 ions, is well worth the time and trouble expended upon it. 



Several of our active members are professional Entomolo- 

 gists whose energies are directed to the study of the economic 

 aspect of our science. Although it is not within the scope of 

 our Society to deal with such questions from a practical point 

 of view, yet so many of these questions are so bound up with 

 questions of biology and evolution, that we must consider them 

 together. 



The work which has attracted the greatest attention in our 

 Islands, but not the only work undertaken, as some, unacquaint- 

 ed with our Islands, maintain, is the use of natural enemies to 

 control insect pests. In this w^ork there is a good example of 



Proc. Haw. Ent. Soc, III, No. 1, September, 1914. 



