THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 33 



esteemed Editor — have always by their many charming and descriptive 

 papers evinced a desire to make the study of Entomology as fascinating 

 and easy as possible for beginners, while at the same time they have paid 

 full respect to their scientific readers. Le Naturaliste Canadien is pub- 

 lished in the French language. It was commenced in December, 1868, 

 from which time the Abbe Provancher has fought bravely, and almost 

 single-handed, against all obstacles, striving by its means to create among 

 the French Canadians a love for the natural sciences, particularly- Ento- 

 mology. I am very sorry to see by the December number that on 

 account of the grant which the Editor received from the Government 

 having been discontinued, his valuable work may possibly be stopped ; 

 this would be a great pity, and every Entomologist ought to give a hand 

 in helping him out of his difficulty. The magazine has been of great 

 value to the farmers of Lower Canada, who in its pages have always 

 received courteous answers on any subjects in the many branches of 

 natural history affecting agriculture. 



In the eleven volumes of the Entomologist now published, or in the 

 Annual Reports of the Society, descriptions of nearly all the common 

 Canadian insects, and illustrations of many of them, will be found. I 

 would particularly call attention to a paper in the Annual Report of 1872 

 by Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, entitled " Beneficial Insects." This gives an 

 outline sketch in a concise manner of the different divisions into which ' 

 insects are divided and the distinguishing points of each. 



With the above mentioned volumes and Dr. Packard's Guide to the 

 Study of Insects, a very complete knowledge of the rudiments of Ento- 

 mology can be obtained ; the rest can only be learned by observation and 

 experience in the field. Undoubtedly the first and most important step 

 of all is to commence a collection. Study can only be carried on satis- 

 factorily from the actual specimens, which should be examined alive when- 

 ever possible and full notes taken of any striking peculiarities observed ; 

 when preparing specimens for the .cabinet, the one idea which has to be 

 borne in mind, and upon which the whole value and beauty of the collec- 

 tion depends, is that they may appear natural, and a knowledge of how to 

 effect this can only be attained by observing living specimens. 



At the last annual meeting of the Society the importance of popular- 

 izing Entomology was discussed, and the Editor of the Entomologist 

 kindly consented to give up some space every month entirely to popular 

 Entomology, for the benefit of beginners and others who are unable to 



