230 Forty-fifth Report on tee State Museum. 



by the study alone of books. To this end there have been 

 arranged, in convenient cases, in connection with each insect 

 shown, its several stages of the egg, the larva at different 

 periods of its life, and the pupa; its architecture, in its cocoons, 

 nests, burrows^ etc.; its various food-plants, showing methods of 

 attack land injury; diseased conditions resulting from fungus 

 and other attacks, or from causes producing monstrosities and 

 deformities; the several parasites that prey upon it, — in short 

 whatever may serve to illustrate the entire natural history of the 

 insect So rich has this collection already become, in its 5,000 

 species more or less fully illustrated, that I give it but the praise 

 that it deserves when I say that it has not its equal in any other 

 collection of the kind in the world. 



Nor should I omit passing reference to the good that has 

 resulted from the Entomological Department of the Cambridge 

 Museum, in that the study of its collections and ilie instruction 

 of Its professor have largely influenced the habits of Thought 

 and paths of labor of several students who are now successful 

 teachers of entomology in our colleges and universities. 



I can not now refer to the many notable contributions made 

 by 7 he members of your scientific bodies and others to general 

 entomology, in the extensive colleeaoiis gathered, in the new 

 forms described, the life-histories ^iven, the anatomical and 

 historical investigations pursued, and the classifactory work done. 

 Not alone are these lines of study, one and all, of great impor- 

 tance in themselves, and their pursuit ennobling — for the 

 humblest insect that lives is richly worthy of The attention of the 

 highest intellect, — but further, each one of you, each member 

 of community, has direct interest in such labo^ 4 , indispensable 

 as it is to a proper knowledge of the insect vvorld, with which we 

 are brought into such intimate and dependent relations, in oar 

 cultivation of the soil, within our homes, and everywhere. 



Without occupying more of the time allotted to me in referring 

 to several other topics of which I would love to speak to you, 

 I will pass on to meet the purpose of my invitation hither. 



But how could I discharge the duty of even a brief discussion of 

 the numerous insect pests which with each returning year' force 



