THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 289 



Harold (Col. Hette, vol. V, p. 124, 1869). LeConte in the original 

 description, does not mention a blue form, but gi\es the colour 

 as "ameus subnitidus." Horn in the abo^■e Revision places all 

 of these forms as synonyms of poUtiis Say, in which he says, "The 

 difference of colour has given rise to several names which do not 

 seem worthy of retention, even as varietal names, inasmuch as 

 the intergrading of col6ur is so gradual as to render it impossible 

 to separate them." At the time Horn wrote his paper on this 

 genus very little was known of their food habits, -but as the habits 

 of these insects become better known, and where large series have 

 been reared, the colour, seems to be quite constant, so it will be 

 necessarv to restore some of the old names. 



TOM WILSON. ' 



In the full vigour of his energetic life and while carrying out 

 his duties as Inspector of Indian orchards, Mr. Tom Wilson was 

 burnt to death on March 6th, 1917, when the Quahalla Hotel at 

 Hope, B.C., was totally destroyed by fire. 



Few men were more widely known or more universally liked 

 in British Columbia than Tom Wilson, whose extensive knowledge 

 of the natural history of the province, and particularly of the flora, 

 ■was at the service of all students and nature lovers. 



He was born at Mussleburgh, Scotland, on July 2oth, 1856. 

 As a young man he learned horticulture and forestry, and at the 

 age. of 22 was Forem.an in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. 

 Two years later he went to India where he spent six years. Re- 

 peated attacks of fever compelled him to return to Scotland, but 

 in 1885, a few months after his return, he came to Canada. After 

 a varied experience in railroad construction, farming and orchard 

 planting he reached Vancouver, B.C., in 1896, and later was ap- 

 pointed as Fruit Inspector in the Provincial Department of Agri- 

 culture. In 1900 he was appointed Superintendent of Fumigation 

 at Vancouver, B.C., by the Dominion Government, and in 1906 

 additional duties as Inspector of Indian Orchards were assigned 

 to him. In 19^11 he was relieved of his duties as Superintendent 

 of Fumigation in jorder that he might devote his entire time to the 

 work in the Indian orchards, an important section of the work 

 of the Entomological Branch. To this work he devoted himself 



