172 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Feb. 



LECTURES. 



On December 12th, 1911, Mr. Alex. McNeill, President of 

 the Club, addressed the members, in the Assembly Hall of the 

 Normal School, on "Some Insect Friends and Foes." The 

 attendance was good and the address was much enjoyed by 

 those present. 



Mr. McNeill explained that "Insect Friends and Foes" 

 was not intended primarily as an entomological lecture. It was 

 intended, in fact, as a suggestion for a more rational educational 

 training for young people. The lecturer took the ground that 

 inasmuch as physical strength could be developed only by the 

 exercise of the muscle and intellectual strength by the exercise 

 of the mental faculties, therefore, that was the best instrument 

 of education that offered the larger number of opportunities 

 for physical and mental exercise. Books and the ordinary 

 routine of school work offered few opportunities for mental 

 exercise within the scope of the immature intellect. Books 

 were indeed indispensable in all advanced intellectual develop- 

 ment, but as an instrument for education with children they 

 had proved entirely inadequate. To illustrate the advantages 

 that natural science offers, the lecturer introduced a large number 

 of lantern slides giving numerous interesting phases of insect 

 life and their co-relation with the every-day affairs of the fruit 

 grower and farmer. The relation of insects to the pollination 

 of flowers was illustrated, with diagrams of the flowers of the 

 Clover, Iris, Ladies' Slipper and Yucca. The usefulness of the 

 hymenoptera in the pollination of the apple blossom was illus- 

 trated by several pictures. 



The development of the ordinary codling moth from the 

 full grown larva, found all too frequently in Canadian apples, 

 to the perfect moth, was given as an easy exercise and a most 

 interesting one showing the various changes in the life of the 

 insect. Reference was made in connection with each of this 

 series of pictures to indicate the ease with which this could be 

 turned to use as an instrument of education with even the 

 younger children of public schools, and, of course, it was pointed 

 out that the pupils never outgrew the problems upon which 

 they could exercise their observi g and reasoning faculties; so 

 that from the very youngest pupil to the most mature student. 

 field-naturalists' excursions offered material for the most rational 

 intellectual exercise. 



Attention was also drawn to the Field-Naturalists' Club 

 excursions in developing a love for outdoor life, with, 

 for pure air, pure water and sunshine. 



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