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it should be returned finally to the Imperial Department in order that each Agricul- tural Department may receive specimens of every species contained in the collection, together with the scientific and popular names decided upon. Should any disagree- ment arise in this respect, it is suggested that in the case of zoological specimens the matter should be referred to the Entomological Research Committee of the Colonial Office, which would be requested to obtain an authoritative opinion; and in the case of botanical specimens, they should be referred to the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, with a similar request. Standard collections, in quan- tity, should be sent to the two institutions mentioned, with a request that some of the material should be retained, in case any of the local Entomologists may later require further authenticated specimens.

This recommendation dealt with the establishment of a definite standard of nomenclature in the case of the material already available, and was agreed to by the members present, representing the Colonies of British Guiana, Trinidad, and Bar- bados, and the Imperial Department of Agriculture. In order to deal with any subsequent difficulties that might arise, it was suggested that the system proposed by Mr. Ballou should be adopted; namely, that once in each year a letter should be sent from the Imperial Department of Agriculture to each of the agricultural bodies con- cerned, asking for any changes in names, or other alterations, which those institutions desire to make. On the receipt of the replies, a circular letter embodying all the suggestions should be sent to each of the bodies, asking for an expression of opinion as to the advisability of the changes put forward.

The proposer of any striking radical change should express clearly his reasons for it. The changes which meet with the approval of a majority of the bodies should be adopted, and the results of the voting should be communicated by letter to each, as soon as possible, so that the necessary changes can be made in their respective publications.

The various units represented by the members present at this meeting were: the Department of Science and Agriculture, British Guiana, with which it was hoped that the British Guiana Agricultural and Commercial Society and the Museum would co-operate; the Department of Agriculture, Trinidad; the Board of Agricul- ture, Trinidad; the local Department of Agriculture, Barbados; and the Imperial Department of Agriculture. It was proposed that the Department of Agriculture in Jamaica, and in Surinam, should be informed of the arrangement suggested, and should be invited to co-operate with the bodies referred to above, and that the En- tomological Research Committee of the Colonial Office, and the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, should be afforded definite detailed information of the system proposed, if it were finally adopted.

Further, that, recognising the great advantage which accrues from the personal interchange of opinion between those engaged in the scientific investigation of insect and fungus pests, it was unanimously agreed that opportunity should be afforded for the officers concerned to meet annually in each Colony, in rotation, for the discus- sion of matters arising out of their investigations.

On the motion of Mr. H. A, BALLOU, seconded by Mr. A. P. CowLEY, this Report was also unanimously adopted.

16473

No. 33.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 7.50 a.m., 28th May, 1912.)

TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 70.]

Your despatch, 26th March, No. 33.* My Ministers concur in proposals to hold Conference, but have no one to send from South Australia.-BOSANQUET.

• No. 17.

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No. 34.

MINUTES OF THE EIGHTH MEETING OF THE FINANCE SUB-COM- MITTEE OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH COMMITTEE, MAY 29, 1912.

The 8th Meeting of the Finance Sub-Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Wednesday, 29th May, 1912, at 4.30 p.m.

1.

PRESENT:

Dr. HARMER (Chairman), Lieutenant-Colonel PRAIN,

Mr. READ.

Mr. ROTHSCHILD.

Mr. STOCKMAN.

Mr. MARSHALL.

Mr. PARKINSON.

The minutes of the 7th meeting* of the Sub-Committee were approved.

2. The Chairman asked the Sub-Committee to consider, with special reference to the financial side of the question, what steps could now be taken in connection with the scheme of co-operation between the Committee and the self-governing Dominions of the Empire.

Mr. Marshall stated that the question which required immediate consideration was whether the Committee should inake a start with the proposed monthly publica- tion. This publication would be a résumé of all entomological literature dealing with insects which are known to be injurious, or are likely to be injurious, to men, animals, or plants. So far the Canadian Government had not expressed their willing- ness to co-operate, while the Indian Government had raised several objections to the scheme without, however, yet refusing to participate. Thus the contributions which had been guaranteed amounted to £500 per annum only.

Dr. Harmer observed that the Indian Government had said that "there would be little advantage in combining matters relating to insect pests in one monthly journal to be published in England unless the publications of foreign countries were also included a statement which showed that they were clearly under a miscon- ception as to this part of the scheme, since the proposed publication would contain a summary of all the literature on the subject, both British and foreign. A second objection raised by the Indian Government was that the International Institute of Agriculture in Rome was already publishing information of the kind which the Committee contemplated publishing, and that the Institute had now under considera- tion a complete scheme for the organisation of international measures against insect and fungoid diseases affecting agriculture.

The Sub-Committee discussed at length the question whether the work which the Committee proposed to take in hand would in any way duplicate that which the Institute was doing.

The conclusion at which the Sub-Committee arrived was that the work which the Committee had in view differed in many important aspects from that which the Institute was carrying on, and that in these circumstances the existence of the Institute did not, as suggested by the Indian Government, afford a reason for shelving or varying the scheme which the Committee had proposed. The main points in which the objects of the two institutions would differ may be summarised as follows:-

(a) The Committee propose to undertake the identification of insects; the

Institute does nothing in this direction.

(b) As regards its publication, the Institute seeks to furnish information as to agriculture in general, with the result that comparatively little space in its very bulky volumes is devoted to entomology. Moreover, the reviews furnished by the Institute are very far from complete, for,

• No. 2.