NEGLECTED OEDERS. 



By H. Fkanelin Pahsons, M.D.^ F.G.S* 



The thanks of your readers are, I am sure, due to Mr. Mosley and 

 Mr. Roebuck for their very useful and practical articles on the 

 collection and study of the Diptera and Hymenoptera respectively. 

 Mr. Roebuck's bibliographical references are especially valuable. I 

 sincerely trust that some of the members of the Yorkshire Naturalists' 

 Union may be induced to explore the new and wide fields into which 

 these gentlemen have shown the way, and of the vastness of which 

 few of us probably have an adequate idea. I hope also that the other 

 orders of insects — Neuroptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, &c., — may 

 find equally worthy champions and ardent students, as the interesting 

 structure and habits of these insects and the importance of them to 

 mankind, well merit that they should do. But I wish to point out 

 that even if all the orders of insects were studied, there still remain 

 whole classes of animals, to be found everywhere, and well deserving 

 of our study, which nevertheless are, I fear, almost entirely neglected 

 by the vast majority of our naturalists : as examples I need only 

 mention the Arachnida, Myriapoda, Crustacea, and Annelida. Who 

 will take charge of these " neglected orders," and tell us something 

 about their wonderful forms and life-histories ? I feel sorely tempted 

 to " go in " for some of them myself, but the " neglected orders " of 

 the vegetable kingdom are already more than enough for one 

 student. The most feasible way of working up these recondite 

 branches of Natural History appears to me to be for each of a number 

 of competent workers to make one of these classes his special study, 

 and to act as " recorder " for it. He should provide himself with the 

 necessary books (in some special cases it might be advisable for the 

 Union to procure books), and he should endeavour to get into 

 correspondence with the best authorities on his subject, in order that 

 he may have some one to fall back upon in doubtful cases, and 

 to verify new discoveries. To such a " recorder " the secretaries of 

 sections, and of the local societies, or individual workers should 

 forward (carriage paid) any specimens belonging to his department 

 which might come into their hands. For instance, species of Crus- 

 tacea and Myriapoda must be continually coming under the eyes of 

 our conchologists, entomologists, and other members ; as it is, no 

 notice is taken of them, but if it were known that any one devoted 

 his special attention to these groups, many of us would no doubt be 



