THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 53 



occasional capture, I have never taken insects in any great abundance. My 

 experience has been very similar in the case of basswood, white pine, poplar, 

 balsam and spruce; an occasional haul, but usually little or nothing; and even 

 less on the harder wood of elm, maple, ash, butternut, hickory and oak. Theories 

 are dangerous, but I incline to think that some sense of smell — probably sap or 

 vegetable juices fermenting in the hot sun — releases the reproductive impulse 

 in these woodborers and brings them in ever-growing numbers from all parts 

 of a wood to the few windfalls that their instinct "senses" as the proper nursery 

 of their race. 



It was in piecing out such problems as these in the late afternoon of July 

 5th, 1916, in ruminating over the day's take, and in planning my next campaign, 

 that I beguiled my way along the last few miles of this 12-hour jaunt. On 

 arriving home I found that the weather man had recorded 98 degrees Fahr. in 

 the shade, and when I caught sight of myself in the bathroom mirror I realized 

 why I had been the object of so many suspicious looks. My face was tanned 

 to the colour of a well-boiled lobster and smeared with muddy streaks that 

 had once been summer dust; my tie had disappeared and my collar wilted to 

 the form and semblance of a dirty handkerchief; the philosopher's dignity 

 was further impaired by the revelation of a large, 3-cornered rent in one trouser 

 leg. I was really lucky to have made my way home through more than a mile 

 of populous city streets unarrested, if not unrecognized. 



NATIONAL COLLECTION OF INSECTS. 



Dr. J. McDunnough has been appointed Assist(a,nt Entomb logist, in the 

 Entomological Branch, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, to have charge of 

 the National Collection of Insects. Canadian Entomologists will welcome the 

 return of Dr. McDunnough to his native country, and his appointment to a 

 position in which he will be able to devote his extensive knowledge of system- 

 atic entomology to the care and building up of the National Collection. 



AN ENTOMOLOGIST'S HANDBOOK. 



An entomologist's handbook or compendium is very much needed, espe- 

 cially by economic entomologists. It is planned to compile such a handbook, 

 which will include principles and methods of stud\ing the life histories of insects, 

 of conducting field experiments and demonstrations, handy tables for field work- 

 ers, etc. It is desired to have references, or better, to have separates of 

 all published notes dealing directly or indirectly with the subject and to have 

 details, and if possible drawings or photographs as well, of cages, apparatus, 

 methods, etc., as yet unpublished. The handbook will be a compilation and 

 full credit given to all contributions. 



The co-operation of entomologists is solicited. 



John J. Davis, 

 Box 95, West Lafayette, Indiana. 



