18 PEOCEEDI^-GS OF THE THIED ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



West Frontier Province from Parachinar to Abbottabad and also in- 

 Assam at Shillong and probably all along the Himalayas and does serious- 

 damage to young apple leaves ; yet it has never been reported. Similarly, 

 apple fruits in Shillong are badly bored by two species of weevils, yet 

 this has never been reported and we might have waited a long time for 

 any knowledge of these pests if I had not happened to inquire into the 

 subject of fruit-pests at Shillong last year. I think, therefore, that so 

 far as pests are concerned it is better to be inclusive than exclusive 

 when we come to hst them. It does no harm to include a doubtful case 

 in the hst even if it ultimately turns out not to be a pest, but if we ex- 

 clude it and it subsequently does do damage there is a danger that earlier 

 information about it may be overlooked and not be available when 

 required. If it is on the hst as a possible pest it is, so to speak, in our 

 mind's eye and we are more likely to collect further information about 

 it. At the same time it must be clearly understood that no hst of pests 

 can be looked on as anything hke complete. We cannot foretell what 

 insects, or even what groups, may turn out to be inimical. No one, 

 for example, in any part of the world has ever looked on the Perhdse as 

 of any economic importance except that they ser\'e as bait for anglers. 

 Nevertheless, a species has lately been found to damage orchard fohage 

 in the United States, and quite possibly some of our Indian species may 

 do the same. Every year, every month, new pests come to light and 

 our knowledge of the old ones is increased, and it will not be in our time 

 that anything in the way of finahty is achieved. However, we shall 

 help on this end by accumulating as many facts as we can, taking care 

 only to prepare a firm foundation of accurate facts on which our suc- 

 cessors may build securely. 



Most of the other papers in this Section are sufficiently explained by 

 their titles and call for few remarks at this stage. 



Mr. Andrews, Entomologist to the Indian Tea Association, is giving 

 us a paper on the control of insect pests. This subject has of course 

 been discussed generally at previous Meetings as regards particular 

 points, but not as a separate entity by itself. It will therefore be useful 

 to have a paper on this subject. You will find a general resume, so far 

 as crop-pests are concerned, in my book on South Indian Insects (Chapter 

 XI) and I do not think that there is very much to add to that so far as 

 the ordinary Plains crops are concerned. In the case of tea, the condi- 

 tions are considerably different. In any case, we shall all be glad to hear 

 what Mr. Andrews has to say. 



I have already referred to Dr. Gough's paper on the Pink BoUworm 

 in Egypt ; this will be giren as an evening lecture illustrated by lantern 

 slides. Mr. F. G. Willcocks. Entomologist to the Sultanic Agricultural 



