172 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



of Dr. Fitch, soon after the commencement of his Reports, for my careful 

 attention to the Catocalas, for the authorities of the British Museum were, 

 he thought unnecessarily, multiplying species. He did not believe that 

 we really had over a half dozen species. To-day we number over 90 

 accepted species. 



At the time to which I have referred, very few — perhaps not over a 

 score (my limited knowledge of the Coleoptera must be my excuse if I 

 err) of the histories of our insects were known ; now, we may count by 

 the hundred those of which we know the transformations and the life 

 histories more or less complete. Some of these, thanks to the labors of 

 Edwards, Riley, Scudder, Walsh and others, have been charmingly wrought 

 out, and are honorable contributions to science. 



The list of working Entomologists is rapidly enlarging, and with the 

 consequent diffusion of a knowledge of their purposes and their results, 

 we have reason to believe that the day is not far distant when the oppro- 

 bious prefix of " crazy " will not invariably be associated with " bug- 

 hunter." In the last edition of the Naturalists' Directory, the names of 

 281 persons are recorded who are making Entomology their study in 

 North America. It is probable that a full list would be increased by at 

 least 25 percent, extending the number to 350. 



With so large a number of working Entomologists, we would be 

 justified in expecting larger annual contributions to our literature. 

 It would seem to me but a moderate estimate that one-third of the num- 

 ber should possess the ability of making such careful observations and of 

 collating them in such a form that they would prove acceptable and valu- 

 able contributions to our knowledge. While we know so little of the 

 transformations of our species, the habits of their larvae and imagines, 

 their geographical distribution — in short, the numerous details entering 

 into and composing their life histories, there is scarcely a new fact relating 

 to these particulars which is not worthy of being placed on record in the 

 pages of our Entomological journals, which will gladly give them place. 

 It has been stated that there are but about thirty Entomologists in the 

 United States and the Dominion of Canada who are in the habit of pub- 

 lishing the results of their observations and studies. The last volume of 

 the Canadian Entomologist presents a list of forty-five contributors ; 

 and Mr. Scudder, in his review of the work done during the year 1877, to 

 which reference has been made, gives an account of the publications of 



