﻿SOCIETIES. 71 



bam referred, in illustration of the practical usefulness of entomo- 

 logical studies, to the successful importation into California of the 

 Australian parasites infesting the scale insect (Icerya purchasi), which 

 had proved so noxious to the orange plantations. Through the 

 efforts of Prof. Eiley, upwards of 10,000 parasites had been dis- 

 tributed and had since spread very widely, so that in many localities 

 the orange and other trees hitherto thickly infested with this noxious 

 insect had been practically cleared of it by their aid; he also 

 referred to the successful fertilisation of red clover in New Zealand 

 by the importation of impregnated queens of the common humble- 

 bee, and to the uses to which the silk produced by various 

 exotic species of Bombycidse had now been successfully applied. 

 Eeference was then made to the investigation instituted by Mr. 

 Francis Galton, and to the experiments of Mr. P. Merrifield, with the 

 view of determining the percentage of hereditary transmission to 

 successive offspring by different generations of successors, and to the 

 valuable auxiliary such experiments and the researches of Professor 

 Weismann, Mr. Poulton, and others might prove to the study of 

 the laws of heredity, protective resemblance, and natural selection. 

 It was then observed that even if the study of Entomology could 

 claim to have conferred no greater benefits upon the human race 

 than to have afforded to many members of our urban population 

 an inducement to improve their minds and recreate their bodies, 

 it would have contributed in no small degree to the sum of human 

 health, happiness, and morality ; in connection with these remarks 

 he quoted the words of the Abbe Umhang in his obituary notice 

 of Henri de Peyerimhoff, " J'ai connu plus d'un jeune homme 

 qui s'est passionne pour une branche de l'histoire naturelle, et je n'en 

 ai vu aucun s'ecarter du chemin de la vertu et de l'honneur." Atten- 

 tion was then drawn to the enormous numbers of species of Insecta 

 as compared with the numbers of species of other orders of the 

 Animal Kingdom, and an approximate estimate was made of the extent 

 of the field of Entomology, and of its relation to other branches of 

 biological study. In connection with the subject of the principal 

 works in Entomology continued or completed during the year, special 

 mention was made of the ' Biologia Centrali Americana,' by Messrs. 

 Godman and Salvin, and the ' Bevisio Insectorum FamilisB Manti- 

 darum,' by Professor Westwood. In conclusion, Lord Walsingham 

 referred to the losses by death during the past year of several Fellows 

 of the Society and other entomologists, mention being made of Mr. F. 

 Bond, Dr. Signoret, Mons. Puis, Colonel C. J. Cox, Pastor Holmgren, 

 Dr. Franz Low, Dr. Karl Venus, and the Bev. J. G. Wood. A vote of 

 thanks to the President for his services during the year and for his 

 address was proposed by Mr. H. T. Stainton, seconded by Prof. 

 Meldola, and carried. Mr. Elwes then proposed a vote of thanks to 

 tbe other officers of the Society, which was seconded by Dr. Sharp 

 and carried. Lord Walsingham, Mr. Goss, Canon Fowler, and 

 Mr. Grut replied. — H. Goss, Hon. Sec. 



The South London Entomological and Natueal History Society. 

 — December 12th, 1889. T. R. Billups, President, in the chair. Mr. 



