29 
tills country fortunately so rare that its occurrence would be a 
matter of great interest to Lepidopterists. In conclusion, I may 
say that every sample of barley which I have examined during the 
past autumn and winter has contained the injured grains, so that 
the pest, whatever it is, would seem to have become common all at 
once in this part of the country • and I, therefore, am anxious to 
induce those who have the opportunity, to carefully examine the 
barley crops towards next harvest, that we may, if possible, 
elucidate the history of this new enemy or enemies, and ascertain 
whether there is any possibility of checking the mischief— and to 
that end any inlormation obtsiined will be very acceptable to me. 
V. 
01^ THE STUDY OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
By ay. AI. Crowfoot. 
Jiead Juniiarij 29th, 1869. 
AIr. President, Ladies, and Gentle.men, 
I feel that the short paper which I am about to read to you re- 
quires a word of apology from me. AA'lien requested by your 
Piesident to assist him during his year of office, by contributing a 
paper, I told him at once that I feared my various engagements 
Avould not give me time to make any original observations, and that, 
therefore, he must not expect any new and hitherto unrevealed 
facts from me. All indeed that I could promise to lay before this 
Society was a few suggestions as to the prosecution of a special 
branch of natural history, to which I have myself paid a little 
attention, viz. entomology, and at the commencement of a Society 
like the present, I thought that possibly some few hints as to what 
appear to me to be the most important objects of entomological 
study would be acceptable to the junior Alembcrs, and as it is for 
them that my remarks are especially intended I must crave the 
indulgence of any experienced entomologists who may be present this 
evening. I shall not take up your time by inscribing the apparatus 
required, or the methods to be adopted for capturing and preserving 
