204 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



number of its devotees, then Entomology has made very rapid progress 

 within the last two or three years. There are on this continent now nearly 

 500 persons pursuing the study of this important branch of natural 

 history, and during the past year a large number of original papers have 

 been published on the subject. The Canadian Entomologist, the 

 monthly organ of our Society, continues to hold its place in the front rank 

 among the most useful periodicals in this connection, while clustering 

 around it now are Psyche, the organ of the Cambridge Entomological 

 Club ; the Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society ; and last, 

 though by no means least, Papilio, a journal devoted exclusively to lepi- 

 doptera and mainly to descriptions of new species, which has now com- 

 pleted its seventh number. All these are devoted exclusively to Ento- 

 mology, and will be found of great value to every Entomologist. To 

 these must be added the valuable reports of the U. S. Entomological 

 Commission, whose good work is still being continued ; the annual reports 

 of the Entomologist of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, 

 those of the several State Entomologists, the annual report of our own 

 Society, as well' as a large number of papers on the subject to be found in 

 the transactions and proceedings of all natural history societies. There 

 has also appeared in the Canadian Sportsman and Naturalist, edited by 

 William Couper, of Montreal, some Entomological items of special interest 

 to Canadian Entomologists. 



In my last annual address I referred to the appointment by the Ontario 

 Government of a Special Commission to enquire into the agricultural 

 resources of the Province, and the progress and condition of agriculture 

 therein. In view of the important bearing of Entomology on successful 

 agriculture, the Government was pleased to appoint your President as 

 one of the Commissioners. The report of the Commission has since 

 been compiled and published, in which the insects injurious to the farmer 

 and fruit grower have been fully dealt with ; also the remedies suggested 

 for their destruction, and the beneficial insects which prey upon them. 

 The evidence relating to the subjects of insects and insectivorous birds 

 occupies 104 pages in the full report, and 61 pages in the condensed 

 report, both of which are adorned with many excellent illustrations. The 

 eagerness with which these publications have been sought after is indi- 

 cative of the estimation in which they are held by the public. It would, 

 I think, meet a strongly felt want if some arrangement were made whereby 

 this valuable work, so useful to every farmer, might become accessible by 



