Kovács I. Endre szerk.: Rovartani Közlemények (Folia Entomologica Hungarica 16/22-30. Budapest, 1963)
number of professional research workers in the Zoological Department of the National Museum or in the Entomological Station /the predecessor of the Research Institute for Plant Protection/. One may yet add to them the very few excellent amateur entomologiste, with their scientific work on a level with contemporaneous research. The other path was trod by a host of amateurs, comprising some 200 at the turn of the century. There was a number of excellent collectors and observers among them, but the majority regarded entomology as either a source of income or their interest was. aroused and exhausted in the love of nature,and they remained at the level of dilettante. Business and trade conceptions hindered cooperation and the promulgation of scientific results,since these entomologists had jealously guarded the secrets of their discoveries. In this atmosphere and in these times, there were none among them who could have gathered the professional research workers and the enterprising businessmenentomologists, - people of the most diverse interests and culture level - in a common camp: an entomological society. The basic fault was that of the research workers:they failed to recognize the incomparable advantages concomitant with the organization of amateurism and the foundation of an entomological society; they shrank back from difficulties. Por all that, the chances to establish a society were given ere this.The core of the society might have been found in the gathering of the entomologists of the Capital in the nineties. A close, friendly circle of amateur entomologists in Budapest formed a society which, though never disposing of bye-laws granted and approved by the Ministry of Interior, had regular weekly meetings, the members presenting their new collectings, exchanging specimens ,indeed,even delivering lectures. The friendly circle lived a regular society life, elected a president, kept minutes, issued diplomas. It was the undying merit of N. UHRIK, named amateur lepidopterist, who called into being this small society and who, in the
