1903] Soirees. - 229 



Norris were done by himself. These coloured slides added very 

 much to the interesting statements made b) Dr. Fletcher concern- 

 ing the life-histories and habits of the various insects treated of. 

 In introducing his subject he stated that he had chosen for exhi- 

 bition some of the most beautiful or remarkable butterflies and 

 moths in our fauna, and one point he wished ir draw particular 

 attention to was, that everyone ol these was common and easily 

 obtainable at Ottawa by any student with ordinary assiduity 

 during the first year. Mention was made of the value and the 

 great fascination of working out the lit'e-histories of insects by 

 procuring their eggs and watching the caterpillars during their 

 various moults to the pupal state and then on to maturity. There 

 were nany facts which were still unknown even with legardto 

 many of our common species. Some of the large silk worms, or 

 Emperor moths, were shown on the screen and the habits of each 

 kind discussed. The Luna moth, an object of great beauty, was 

 much admired. One delightful scene showing an ideal spot for 

 collecting insects, a limpid stream carrying on its surface water 

 lilies in bloom, and flowiny gently beneath over-arching branches, 

 which made a grateful shade, carried the mind of the audience 

 back to the sunny days of June when they ^ isited the Beaver 

 Meadow at Hull. In closing. Dr. Fletcher made a plea for a 

 more general study of the life-histories of insects by the members 

 of the Club, not only for the value of these studies as a source of 

 constant pleasure but on account of the great economic value of a 

 knowledge of insects, which are every year the cau.se of so much 

 loss. Hr stated that the leaders in Entomology would always be 

 phased to help anyone wishing to take up the study of insects, 

 and would gladly accompany them to the woods or show them 

 their collections. The leaders each have private collections and 

 there are also public collections in the Museum of the Geological 

 Survey and at the Central Experimental Farm, all of which are 

 accessible to students. 



Many interesting microscopic slide* were shown by Dr. H. 

 M. Ami, W. S. Odell and W. [. Wilson, and a number or living 

 turtles were exhibited by Mr. Odell. 



