` The Progress of Arachnology in America, 963 
4 THE PROGRESS OF ARACHNOLOGY IN AMERICA, 
4 BY LUCIEN M. UNDERWOOD, PH.D. 
4 NOTWITHSTANDING all that is said and written to the 
= +\ contrary, the student of entomology still continues to do 
miscellaneous work in the “ description of new and little known 
= Species;” and so long as this miscellaneous fever continues, so 
_ long must some one periodically gather up the fragments, in 
_ order to save future species-makers the trouble of re-describing 
_ what has already been fully described. In these days of such 
multiplicity of periodical literature it is difficult for the aspiring 
_ Student—many times far away from the friendly counsel of some 
= one wiser than himself, and away from the larger libraries that 
would supply many deficiencies—to know what others have 
i already written on any particular family, and where the scat- 
_ tered literature may be found, in order that he may have a sub- 
_ Mantia basis on which to work. However a worker may modify 
i his views later in life in regard to the proper methods and sub- 
_ Jets for investigation, he will invariably develop his enthusiasm, 
i s he have any, in a systematic study of some life-group in 
q Which his first ambition is to ame the species of his collection. 
i He may afterwards leave his first love as his mature views cause 
3 him to recognize the greater importance of morphological and 
q embryological work, but he will rarely, if ever, commence his 
3 “itomological career in any other way. Here our leaders in 
_ “ttomology may well take a suggestion, for at the early stages 
a of systematic study too many young persons become hopelessly 
couraged who might with proper encouragement become en- 
— MSslastic workers, Finding no accessible elementary aids to 
Study, and finding such aids as do exist scattered through 
Volume after volum 
mip o ollege library, they abandon a field-in which they 
might make valuable additions to science for one whose entering 
™ Way seems less beset with difficulties,—z.¢., they leave the 
, = entomology entirely. 
‘in Stwithstanding the many valuable papers that have appeared 
rea nt Years on our American Hymenoptera, we venture to 
‘stu ‘ct that none of them will do so much to stimulate the 
7x this most interesting group of insects as Mr. Cresson’s 
e of “Transactions” never found in their 
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