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Vol. LIII. GUELPH, MAY, 1921. No. 5 



JOHN MACOUN MEM(3RIAL. 



At the request of naturalists generally throughout Canada, the Ottawa 

 Field-Naturalists' Club has decided to receive subscriptions for a permanent 

 memorial in honor of the late Prof. John Macoun. Naturalist of the Geological 

 Survey of Canada, who died at Sidney, B. C, on July 18, 1920. 



The wide field of natural history work to which John Macoun devoted 

 his life is well known, not only throughout Canada but in other countries as well. 

 He specialized particularly in botany and was the founder of the Canadian Na- 

 tional herbarium. Other sciences, however, especially zoology, were also greatly 

 enriched by him; he will always be remembered as a great i)ioneer in Canadian 



natural history. 



Many friends of the late John Macoun, particularly in Toronto and 

 Ottawa, have thought that the memorial should take the form of a painted por- 

 trait to be hung in the Victoria Memorial Museum. Such a memorial has now 

 been decided upon and a painting will be made by Mr. Franklin Brownell of 

 Ottawa, the well-known portrait painter. Expenses in connection therewith will 

 be about $700. 



Subscriptions to this fund should be forwarded to Mr. Arthur Gibson, 

 Dominion Entomologist, Ottawa. 



Should the list be oversubscribed arrangements may be made whereby 

 those subscribing above a certain sum, which now cannot be defined, will receive 

 a reproduction of the painting. 



A. G. 



POPULAR AND PRACTICAL ENTOMOLOGY. ^ 

 ParasitivS of tiir Palk Wrstern Cutworm in AT,Bl^RTA. 



RY K. H. STRICKLAND, 

 Entomological Branch, Ottawa.* 

 The pale western cutworm, Porosagrotis orihogonia Morr., has been, since 



1911. the most destructive insect^pest of grain crops in southern Alberta and in 



a small area of south western Saskatchewan. 



The damage in some years amounts to considerably over a million dollars, 

 and all control measures so far employed have proved to be unsuccessful when 

 they are applied to large areas of infestation. For this reason natural control is 

 of superlative importance. 



The larvae of this species are almost entirely subterranean in their habits, 

 and they are never seen above ground by- daylight. Hence they are practically 

 immune from destruction by tlie all too scarce prairie l)irfls. Some fall prey to 

 predators such'as Calosoina frigidum Kby. and .Inniiof^Iiila species, but these re- 

 present a very small percentage. No signs of disease have been observed, the 



* Contribution from the Entomological Branch, Dept. of Agriculture, Ottawa. 



97 



