Clje Canadian (SntooioIopL 



VOL. XII. LONDON, ONT., OCTOBER, 1880. No. 10 



ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENTOMO- 

 LOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



Gentlemen, — The past season has not been very eventful in Ontario 

 in matters relating to insect life. No unusual armies of insect enemies 

 have devastated our crops, and our farmers and fruit-growers, in spite of 

 the few perennial foes, which are always more or less troublesome, have 

 realized a bountiful harvest. 



Early in the season cut-worms were very numerous in the neighbor- 

 hood of London, more abundant then I ever remember seeing them 

 before. They destroyed innumerable cabbage plants and other herbace- 

 ous plants and flowers ; among the latter pansies seemed to possess great 

 attraction for them. I saw many fine plants of this flower of the previous 

 year's growth eaten close to the ground, both leaves and stalks, and from 

 about the roots of a single plant found in several instances from thirty to 

 fifty of the nearly full grown larvae. Fortunately their period of activity 

 does not last long, and before the end of June most of them were quietly 

 sleeping in the chrysalis state. 



The question of insectivorous birds, and their influence on the insect 

 world about us, is attracting much attention, and the more the subject is 

 discussed the more evident it becomes that very little indeed is known in 

 reference to it ; that our ideas as to what should guide us are largely 

 inherited, or otherwise based on sentiment, rather than resting upon well 

 ascertained facts. I am well aware that to plead in favor of the birds is 

 a popular course to follow ; but the true student of nature is ever seeking 

 after truth, and whether the facts he discovers are in accord with long 

 cherished opinions and popular fancies, or are directly opposed to them, 

 are questions of little moment. The facts, whatever they may be, are 

 what we want. 



Insectivorous birds may be conveniently divided into three classes : 

 First, those which take their food entirely on the wing ; second, those 

 which feed partly on the wing and partly from trees and shrubs, and on 

 the ground ; and third, those which take no food on the wing, but feed 



