cious custom and one to be condemned, though I
know that some have fallen into the habit, without appreciation of its
evil effect. It is, in my judgment, almost as blameworthy as to use
the language or the facts of another without citing the authority.

Every member of this association who has due appreciation of the time
and labor and special knowledge required to produce a good and true
illustration of the transformations and chief characteristics of an
insect will appreciate this criticism. However pardonable in fugitive
newspaper articles in respect of cuts which, from repeated use, have
become common or which have no individuality, the habit inevitably
gives a certain spurious character to more serious and official
publications, for assumption of originality, whether intended or not,
goes with uncredited matter whether of text or figure. Nor is mere
acknowledgment of loan or purchase to the publisher, institution or
individual who may own the block or stone what I refer to. But that
acknowledgment to the author of the figure or the work in which it
first appears which is part of conscientious writing, and often a
valuable index as to the reliability of the figure.

It were supererogation to point out to a body of this kind the value
of the most careful and thorough work in connection with life
histories and habits, often involving as it does much microscopic
study of structure. The officers of our institutions who control the
funds, and more or less fully our conduct, are apt to be somewhat
impatient and inappreciative of the time given to anatomic work, and
where it is given for the purpose of describing species and of
synopsizing or monographing higher groups, without reference to
agriculture, I am firmly of the belief that it diverts one from
economic work, but where pursued for a definite economic purpose it
cannot be too careful or too thorough and I know of no instances
better calculated to appeal to and modify the views of those inclined
to belittle such structural study than Phylloxera and Icerya. On the
careful comparison of the European and American specimens of
_Phylloxera vastatrix_, involving the most minute structures and
details, depended originally those important economic questions which
have resulted in legislation by many different nations and the
regeneration of the affected vineyards of Europe, of our own Pacific
coast, and of other parts of the world by the use of American
resistant stocks.