1974 } 
Alatthews — Cambridge Entomological Club 
23 
Mr. Emerton followed, speaking of his recent spider-collecting trip 
to Cape Cod; Dr. Wheeler exhibited specimens of the Japanese 
beetle, recently introduced into New Jersey, and a drawing of a 
“peculiar, elongate ant” from South America. Mr. Frost gave a 
number of collecting notes on beetles and spoke of his success in 
rearing sumac borers from dead twigs. The meeting concluded with 
a discussion of insects as food by a visiting entomologist from Bel- 
gium, Dr. J. C. Bequaert, his account being based on experiences in 
the Congo region of Africa; and Dr. Wheeler remarked on his 
observations of similar foods used by the Australian natives. 
One of the important projects of the Cambridge Entomological 
Club in the early twenties was a series of lectures given in Boston 
for the public at large. The first formal note of this idea was in 
October, 1920, when a committee of four was appointed to propose 
plans. In the course which these affairs often follow, three of the 
four ended up as lecturers as well — W. L. W. Field, R. H. Howe, 
and W. M. Wheeler; the fourth member of the committee, J. H. 
Emerton, having reached 72 years, preferred not to undertake a lec- 
ture, and A. C. Kinsey, then at Indiana University, was selected to 
take his place. All were to speak on their “well known specialities” 
at Tremont Temple, on four successive afternoons during the spring 
of 1921. The printed announcement of the lectures stated: “These 
lectures will treat in a popular way of the habits, growth and struc- 
ture of Insects and their adaption to their surroundings. They will 
be abundantly illustrated by the stereopticon and by motion pictures 
as far as they can be obtained.” 
The lectures were quite a success, with an average attendance of 
about 150 persons, and income from ticket sales ($2 for the entire 
course, or fifty cents per lecture at the door) nearly equalled the 
expenses. Inspired by this, the Club voted the following year to 
expand the series to six lectures. Post card notices were sent to the 
Audubon Society’s mailing list of 4,000 names, advertisements were 
placed in the Boston Transcript , and printed posters sent to libraries, 
schools and clubs. The lecturers included L. O. Howard, W. T. 
M. Forbes, J. C. Bradley, C. T. Brues, Miss Edith M. Patch, and 
even J. H. Emerton. However, the series of six lectures appears to 
have been too long, for only 41 course tickets were sold, more than 
half of each audience paying at the door, and attendance varied 
greatly from lecture to lecture. The average attendance was smaller 
than in 1921 as well, only between 50 and 100 persons. Because of 
its enthusiastic advertising campaign, the club went $230 in debt, 
