214 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



student, a work which should embody in a conveniently condensed form 

 all those contributions to general, to systematic or to biologic entomology, 

 which in their totality represent the present state of knowledge of North 

 American insects, and which are now so sadly scattered through the 

 literature. The members of the Club then present greeted the project 

 with applause ; no gloomy views regarding its practicability were heard, 

 the only serious objections made being of a business nature. A com- 

 mittee was appointed, which in due time submitted a favourable report. 

 For want of time this report could not be discussed last year, but the 

 committee was instructed to submit a " well-digested scheme one year 

 hence ", and I sincerely hope that the proceedings of our present meeting 

 will contribute toward an early realization of this important plan. For 

 my own part I subscribe to every word that has been said in its favour by 

 Prof. Osborn in his address, and by other members during its preliminary 

 discussion. Many of us will have given attention to this subject durii.g 

 the past year, each in his own specialty, as I have myself. And 

 I have more particularly considered in my own thoughts how the collated 

 and combined work hitherto accomplished in North American coleopter- 

 ology will compare with a certain manual on European Coleoptera, which 

 has done eminent service, and to which I shall refer later. 



It is generally supposed that North American coleopterology is in a 

 better, /. ^ , more advanced state to be represented in a compendium, than 

 most other orders, and upon reflection I find this to be the case in some 

 respects, but not so in others. On this subject I have noted down some 

 remarks which I beg leave to present herewith in a condensed form. 



In order to study insects we must first collect them, and I have, 

 therefore, to devote a few words to the state of exploration of our 

 country. The history of the entomological exploration of North America 

 has many interesting points which are not generally known, but I cannot 

 possibly review the whole subject, and shall confine myself to the progress 

 made since the foundation of this Club in 1874. The older members of 

 our Club will remember that at that time, or a little previously, Coleoptera 

 from California or even Colorado were to be found only in a few cabinets ; 

 to-day the Coleopterous fauna of the Pacific Slope, Colorado, Kansas and 

 some other Western States are in many of our Eastern collections by far 

 better represented than those of Georgia or Maine. The completion of 

 the Southern Pacific Railroad opened for easy exploration a vast 

 extent of territory previously but imperfectly known ; coleopterists 



