610 
NATURE 
[AuGuUST 15, 1912 
THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL 
GRESS OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
HE idea of an International Congress of 
Entomology originated at Tring, and it was 
on the initiative of Dr. Karl Jordan, curator of 
the Hon. Walter Rothschild’s Zoological 
Museum, that a small number of entomologists, 
representing France, Belgium, Germany, and the 
United Kingdom, met at Burlington House during 
the spring of 1909 to consider details. At this 
meeting, which was presided over by the then 
president of the Entomological Society of Lon- 
don (Dr. F. A. Dixey, F.R.S.), it was arranged 
that the first congress should take place at 
Brussels, in August, 1910. The congress at 
Brussels proved to be very successful, and, before 
separating, its members decided that the second 
international congress should be held at Oxford 
in 1912, under the presidency of Prof. Poulton, 
F.R.S., Hope Professor of Zoology in the 
University. 
The congress at Oxford has just terminated 
after a week which has been marked by papers 
and discussions of high value and interest, and 
the social side of which has only been marred 
by the extremely unfavourable conditions of 
weather. The attendance was larger than at 
Brussels, and included representative entomo- 
logists from France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, 
Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, the Netherlands, 
Hungary, Luxembourg, Sweden, Egypt, Chile, 
the United States, the Sandwich Islands, Canada, 
Borneo, and British East Africa, besides a large 
number from Great Britain and Ireland. The 
gathering was thus thoroughly representative, 
and, not only by the worldwide area from which 
its constituents were drawn, but also by the 
varied nature of the communications presented to 
it, the congress may claim to have rendered 
universal service over the whole field of ento- 
mology. 
The formal proceedings of the congress opened 
on August 5 with an address of welcome by the 
president, Prof. Poulton. He pointed out the 
special advantages of Oxford as a meeting-ground 
for entomologists of all nations, alluding to the 
scientific traditions and historical interest attach- 
ing to the University and to those colleges (Mer- 
ton, New College, and Wadham) which were 
affording special hospitality to the members of 
the congress. After giving a brief sketch of the 
history of the Hope Department and Professor- 
ship, and paying a graceful tribute to the in- 
dustry and learning of his predecessor in the 
Hope Chair, the late Prof. Westwood, he ex- 
hibited and explained an extensive series of bred 
and captured specimens of the wonderful African 
Papilio, P. dardanus, tracing its geographical 
modifications across the continent from east to 
west and from north to south, and illustrating 
the gradual development of mimicry by the 
female, the polymorphism of the same sex, and 
the proportions of the different mimicking forms 
resulting from the eggs laid by a single parent. 
NO. 2233, VOL. 89] 
CON- 
After the president’s address much interest was 
_ aroused by the Hon. N. C. Rothschild’s paper 
on ‘‘Nature Reserves.” The principle of the 
formation of such reserves, where the native flora 
and fauna may be allowed to flourish undis- 
turbed, scarcely needs advocacy before any 
assembly of naturalists; but the congress was 
much gratified to hear from Mr. Rothschild that 
a society for the promotion of reserves was in 
course of formation, and would shortly issue its 
prospectus. This gives promise of effective prac- 
tical measures. The remainder of August 5, and 
the greater part of the four succeeding days, were 
devoted to meetings both general and sectional, 
the latter dealing with such subjects as economic 
and pathological entomology; insect systematics 
and distribution; evolution, bionomics, and 
mimicry; nomenclature ; morphology and 
anatomy. : 
In the first of these much attention was given 
to a paper by Sir Daniel Morris on behalf of 
W. A. Ballou on “Some Entomological Prob- 
lems in the West Indies.” The importance from 
the economic point of view of an accurate know- 
ledge of the life-history of insect pests was clearly 
shown, and a hopeful account was given of the 
control of some of these pests by the introduc- 
tion of their natural enemies. In view of present 
conditions, the question of the devastation of 
crops by insect agency is to some extent a prob- 
lem of international politics. This point was well 
brought out in a paper by Mr. A. G. L. Rogers, 
a delegate from the Board of Agriculture and 
Fisheries. Mr. Rogers showed that in some cases 
of well-meant interference, more harm than good 
had resulted; international trade had _ been 
checked, while the pest which it was desired to 
exclude had broken the barrier. More system- 
atic study of the conditions was necessary, and 
the proposal of an international commission to 
be formed in connection with the International 
Agricultural Institute at Rome was approved by 
the congress. Valuable contributions to the sub- 
ject were made by Profs. Jablonowski (Buda- 
pest), F. V. Theobald (Wye), S. A: Forbes 
(Nebraska), and others. 
The thorny subject of nomenclature gave rise 
to some animated discussion. An eloquent appeal 
was made by the veteran French entomologist, 
Charles Oberthiir, in favour of the accompany- 
ing of every description of a new species by a 
figure. “Pas de bonne figure a l’appui d’une 
description, pas de nom _ valable,” was the 
aphorism by which he announced his communica- 
fion. A formidable attack on the position was 
delivered by Mr. L. B. Prout; and, in spite of 
the respect which M. Oberthiir’s great authority 
and persuasive speech commanded, it was evident 
that his proposal was regarded by the majority 
as impracticable. Dr. Horn, of Berlin, appeared 
as an advocate of the strict application of the 
law of priority, and further contributions were 
offered by Captain Kerremans (Brussels) and Dr. 
E. Olivier (Moulins). The outcome of the whole 
of these sectional proceedings on nomenclature 
Siri te ee 4 t Ul 
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