ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



Philadelphia, Pa., February, 1915. 



Selection of Papers for Scientific Meetings. 



As is shown on other pages of this issue, there were ninety- 

 six papers on entomological topics presented at the Convoca- 

 tion Week meetings in Philadelphia between Monday noon and 

 Friday noon. A few of these were given simultaneously 

 before different societies. Seventy-one papers were listed on 

 the program of the American Society of Zoologists, to be 

 delivered between 9 a. m. Tuesday and noon on Thursday. 

 Fifty-seven titles appeared on that of the American Phyto- 

 pathological Society, to begin on Wednesday at 9.30 a. m. and 

 to end at some indefinite hour on Friday. 



What was the result ? The non-appearance of some authors 

 shortened the sessions. Some entomologists who were present 

 and intended to read their contributions asked, when their 

 names were called, that their papers be read by title only. The 

 Zoologists found it necessary, on their third day, to divide into 

 two sections holding sessions at the same time. Everywhere 

 communications were necessarily reduced to a minimum and 

 full discussion was hampered by the ever-present sense of the 

 lack of time. That a mental dyspepsia accompanied this feel- 

 ing is self-evident. 



It is idle to think of increasing the number of days for 

 meetings. The remedy must be sought in some curtailment of 

 the number of papers presented. In this way alone is the 

 most valuable feature — -full discussion — to be preserved. Cur- 

 tailment can only be obtained by selection of a few out of the 

 many. Presumably this choice must be made by executive 

 committees of the organizations concerned. In many cases 

 selection will be in favor of the older and better known men 

 to the exclusion of the rising, younger membership, who should 

 be encouraged. Difficult problems will thus be created, but 

 there seems to be nothing else to do but to face them and solve 

 them on the selection basis, although in some cases the issues 

 will be evaded by a greater segregation of the societies in place 

 and time. 



Thus does the Advancement of Science and the increase in 

 specialization thwart us, driving us into narrower limits 

 whether we will or no. 



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