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with glass in front and also back where it is desirable, as in case of Diurnals, to- 

 study both under and upper sides of the wings. This collection should show at 

 least types of each group in all stages, from egg to imago, as well as nests, co- 

 coons, etc. This is an object lesson ever before the student, is ever ready for use 

 by the teacher to illustrate his lecture, and is at the disposal of the students in 

 naming their own collections or in closer study of any group. It seems to me 

 such a collection should be in every college. Lastly, I would have a laboratory 

 collection which should be a biological collection, and the fuller the better. This^ 

 is in large, tight, glass-faced drawers. I use the Harvard case. This is for the 

 use of teachers and post-graduates who desire to study further in the science. It 

 is too valuable for general use by the student or to be kept to satisfy general 

 curiosity. 



As I have before remarked, before the student commences the study of 

 insects he should have had a good course in free-hand drawing, should have 

 had instruction in the use of the microscope and in preparing microscopic speci- 

 mens and slides, and if he has a ready use of German and French it will be very 

 helpful to him in his study. It is also desirable that the student should have 

 had a full course in botany. The students of our college have had three terms of 

 botany, one devoted entirely to microscopic botany, before they begin the s-tudy 

 of entomology. I consider this very valuable preparatory work. Entomology 

 is very close precise work, and the laboratory work if carried on for a less space 

 than three hours at a time is not satsfactor}^ But three hours of such close work 

 is very wearying unless the student has had a fitting preparation. Thus I am 

 pleased that our students have had vertebrate dissection with human and com- 

 parative anatomy and phj^siology before they commence entomology. I know 

 this seems the reverse of the natural method ; as nature proceeds from lower to 

 higher ; vertebrate dissection is lighter and less trying to eye and brain than is 

 the study of insect anatomy ; thus I am pleased to have Anatomy and Physiology 

 of Vertebrates precede that of the Arthropoda in our course. In our college the 

 student attends a course of sixty lectures on the anatomy and physiology of 

 insects, systematic entomology and the economic bearing of the subject. These 

 lectures, are illustrated by use of models, the student's collection of insects, already 

 referred to, by microsocopic preparations, mostly prepared at the College, and 

 elaborate charts and drawings also prepared specially for our use. In connection 

 with this course there are 36 hours of laboratory. Each student works three 

 hours one day each week for twelve weeks. In this time they are able to study 

 the internal anatomy, and to examine carefully and accurately one insect of each 

 order. In connection with this several insects are traced to the genus by such 

 keys as Leconte 8.nd Horn, Cresson, Williston, etc. Besides the above, each stu- 

 dent makes a collection of from ten to twenty-five insects of each order, all neatly 

 put up with date and locality label ; each order by itself and all labelled as far as 

 time will permit. Many students succeed in naming a large number of their 

 specimens. Each student is also required to mount insects in all the approved 

 ways. Small insects mounted on triangular pieces of cardboard or rectangles of 

 cork with silver wires, while the larvae are put in bottles of alcohol with, rubber 

 corks and also prepared by eviscerating and drying, while distended with air, in 

 a heated oven. The students are also encouraged to prepare biological collections, 

 in which they preserve the eggs, larvse after each moult, pupa, cocoon, imago of 

 both sexes, and of various sizes and the several variations. Some of our most 

 enthusiastic students work out several such life histories, describing not only the 

 separate stages, but the several parasites that work to destroy the insects. I 

 regard this work as very valuable. It is excellent discipline for the rnind and 

 observation, gives accurate information of the most interesting kind, and arouses 



