234 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



REPORT OF DELEGATE TO ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 



Mr. W. H. Harrington presented his Report read at the meeting of the 

 Royal Society, as follows : 



As delegate from the Entomological Society of Ontario, it affords me 

 much pleasure to announce that the Society has continued to make 

 satisfactory progress, both in membership and in the work which it under- 

 takes. 



The monthly publication of the "Entomologist" brings before students 

 of insects, both in this country and abroad, very valuable and interesting 

 papers on the habits and life-histories of our species, with frequent de- 

 scriptions of new species discovered in our extensive country. Volume 

 xvi. has been completed, and several valuable parts of xvii. have been 

 already issued. 



The "Annual Report," No. xiv., issued by the Society, contains sev- 

 eral instructive papers prepared especially for agriculturists, and well sup- 

 plied with such illustrations as may enable them to recognize the insects 

 therein described. 



The Montreal Branch of the Society is in a flourishing condition, which 

 is due to the exertions of the energetic and enthusiastic Entomologists who 

 reside in that city. 



Gratification is felt at the evidence of a growing interest in regard to the 

 very important question of the serious losses annually caused throughout 

 the country by the depredations of various insects. 



The Select Committee appointed by Parliament in 1884 to obtain in- 

 formation as to the agricultural interests of the Dominion, issued circu- 

 lars to a large number of leading fruit-growers and other agriculturists 

 throughout the country, requesting, among other points, an expression of 

 opinion as to the desirability of the appointment of a Government P^nto- 

 mologist. A large majority of the answers were in favor of such an ap- 

 pointment. 



Two members of the Council of the Entomological Society were also 

 called, and gave evidence before the Committee as to the ravages of in- 

 sects in Canada, and as lo the advantages which would result from the 

 appointment of a competent Entomologist. 



The Department of Agriculture, impressed by the importance of the 

 subject as thus brought before its notice,has since appointed as Entomolo- 

 gist one of the most energetic ofiicers and workers of our Society — Mr. 

 Tames Fletcher — who has issued a Preliminary Report, briefly describing 



