PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
19
Reference :-
C.O.885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
24133
46
No. 52.
MINUTES OF THE TWELFTH MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH COMMITTEE, HELD AT THE COLONIAL OFFICE ON TUESDAY, 30TH OF JULY, 1912.
1.
PRESENT:
The EARL OF CROMER (Chairman).
Dr. BAGSHAWE.
Sir J. McFadyean.
Sir D. MORRIS.
Professor Newstead.
Professor Nuttall,
Professor Poulton.
Sir D. PRAIN.
Mr. READ.
Dr. SHIPLEY.
Mr. MARSHALL (Scientific Secretary).
Mr. PARKINSON (Secretary).
The Minutes of the 11th General Meeting* were approved.
2. Mr. Marshall submitted his quarterly report. (Annexed.)
Lord Cromer observed that the report showed a very satisfactory condition of affairs. He suggested that it might be advisable to bring the work of the Committee to the notice of the public by communicating to the Press some account of what had been accomplished during the three years the Committee had been at work.
Dr. Shipley stated that he could probably get an article on the subject inserted in the" Times." Mr. Read, however, thought that greater publicity might be given to the matter, and in a somewhat more formal way, by getting a report presented to Parliament. Lord Cromer welcomed this proposal, and it was decided that a report should be submitted to the Secretary of State for presentation to Parliament in the autumn.
Dr. Shipley remarked that two points of special importance arose out of Mr. Marshall's report:
(a) The need for skilled assistance for the Scientific Secretary.
(b) The suggestion made by Dr. Johann Dewitz, Director of the Government Station for Economic Entomology at Metz, that the Committee should publish original articles in their Bulletin in German, French, and Italian.
(a) As regards extra assistance, he said that it seemed clear from the report that Mr. Marshall could not cope with the work unless there were some one having an expert knowledge of entomology to help him. In reply to a question from Sir D. Morris, Mr. Marshall explained that, if the scheme for co-operation with the West Indies came into force, the Assistant estimated for when asking for contributions from the West Indies might be able to render him some help with the African work, but that practically his whole time would be devoted to West Indian work. The extra Assistant proposed by Dr. Shipley would, therefore, be required in any case. The Committee decided that if funds were available, the extra Assistant ought to be obtained with as little delay as possible. The matter was referred to the Finance Sub-Committee for their consideration, and it was agreed that, if the Sub-Committee were satisfied that there were sufficient funds to allow of the engagement of an Assistant. Mr. Marshall might take steps at once to obtain a suitable man.
(b) As regards the publication of articles in foreign languages, Mr. Marshall pointed out that the acceptance of this suggestion would involve an alteration in the whole nature of the bulletin. Up to the present he had encouraged Colonial officers. to publish articles in it, even though those articles were not always of a very high standard; but if it were to become the principal medium in Europe for the publica- tion of the more important papers dealing with economic entomology, a different policy might have to be adopted. The question was referred to the Publication Sub- Committee for consideration and report.
• No. 29.
47
3. Mr. Marshall read a report on behalf of the Chairman of the Finance Sub- Committee dealing with the proposed scheme for the extended investigation of noxi- ous pests in the British Empire. (Annexed.) It was decided that an informal Conference between representatives of the Committee and of the self-governing Dominions which had agreed to be represented should be held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 12th of August, at 12 noon; and that Dr. Shipley, Professor Newstead, Mr. Read, and the Secretaries should represent the Committee.
Professor Poulton was requested to act as one of the representatives, but he stated that, in consequence of the Congress of Entomology at Oxford, of which he is President, it was very unlikely that he could be present; if, however, he found that he could come, he would be glad to attend the Conference.
The Committee further decided that it would be advisable to ask the Imperial Government to contribute towards the scheme eventually, but that no steps should be taken in this direction until it was known that Canada and India would co-operate and contribute.
The question of the representation of the self-governing Dominions on the Com. mittee was also discussed, as it was suggested that they might wish to have some voice in the expenditure of the money which they would provide. The Committee were of opinion that, while any experts from the self-governing Dominions should be consulted whenever possible in matters affecting the working of the scheme, it was not desirable to raise the question of permanent representation on the Committee. The matter could be easily taken up, if raised at any time by the Governments con- cerned.
4. The Committee confirmed the selection of Mr. N. C. Rothschild and Mr. Marshall as its representatives at the International Congress of Entomology at Oxford. Professor Poulton took this opportunity of explaining that he would be glad to see any member of the Committee at the Congress.
5. A copy of a despatch* from the Secretary of State to the West Indian Colonies, on the subject of their co-operation with the Committee, was received.
Annexure I.
REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC SECRETARY.
During the past quarter the work of the Committee has continued to make satis- factory progress, and the number of persons interesting themselves in economic entomology in tropical Africa shows a steady increase. During these three months collections of insects were sent in for identification by no less than 50 different correspondents, the numbers for the three preceding quarters being 35, 34, and 28 respectively. Of these 50, 5 are resident in the West Indies and 45 in Africa.
The number of non-economic insects received is less than usual, owing to the temporary cessation of Mr. Neave's large collections. The total for the quarter is over 10,000 specimens, of which just half were blood-suckers, and there were also about 500 insects of agricultural importance. Our knowledge of the blood-sucking insects of tropical Africa and of their distribution has been very notably increased since the inception of the Committee, just three years ago. Indeed, in the case of mosquitoes, most of which appear to have a fairly wide range, it is now becoming quite an unusual occurrence to receive a species which was previously unknown.
But in addition to collecting, several of our correspondents have begun to do useful work in the way of making observations and experiments. Among these may be specially mentioned Dr. Alexander, in Sierra Leone; Drs. Ingram and Connal, in the Gold Coast; Drs. Moiser and Macfie, in Northern Nigeria; Mr. T. J. Anderson, in British East Africa; and Dr. Aders, in Zanzibar.
Our correspondents in the West Indies have expressed their very cordial appreci- ation of the assistance which we have been able to render them, and there seems every prospect that the work in this direction is likely to grow considerably.
Although a large amount of named material has accumulated since the last general distribution of such specimens was made to British Institutions it has not been possible to send out further named collections, for my time is very fully occupied with the attempt to cope with the steadily increasing work of identification. This work, together with the transmission of named specimens to the collectors themselves,
• No. 47.