THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 185 



Our large and important crops of cereals have been almost entirely 

 free from insect pests, but this experience has not by any means been 

 universal. In the mother country much consternation has been caused 

 of late by the sudden appearance of the Hessian Fly in the wheat fields 

 in considerable force, so that very serious injury has occurred in many 

 quarters. When first noticed, specimens of the infested grain were sub- 

 mitted to Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, Consulting Entomologist to the 

 Royal Agricultural Society, who at once divined the cause, found the lin- 

 seed-hke chrysalis in the wheat stalks, and promptly suggested the usual 

 remedies for this trouble, advice which, if persistently followed, will no 

 doubt soon reduce the numbers of the insect to about their normal pro- 

 portion. Mr. Whitehead also has been actively engaged in investigating 

 this important subject and in disseminating information among farmers. 



Having been absent in Europe during the spring and early summer 

 months, I have been unable to give the usual attention to Entomological 

 subjects. While in England I had the privilege of seeing several fine 

 collections of insects, but none gave me more pleasure in inspection than 

 that of the immortal Linnaeus, the result of whose painstaking work is 

 carefully preserved in the library of the Linngean Society. Through the 

 kindness of Dr. James Murie, the librarian, I was permitted to inspect 

 this interesting cabinet, where every specimen bears evidence of having 

 been mounted and named by this great master in Natural History. One 

 could not help dwelling in thought on the marvellous progress which has 

 attended the study of natural science since the master mind of this won- 

 derful genius was brought to bear on the simplification of its nomen- 

 clature. 



Every facility was also afforded me for examining the marvellously 

 complete collections of insects in the natural history department of the 

 British Museum, in Kensington, under the kind guidance of Messrs. But- 

 ler and Kirby. Both these gentlemen did all in their power to make my 

 visits to that institution both pleasant and profitable, and showed me 

 many kindnesses which will never be forgotten. The collections of But- 

 terflies here are especially wonderful in their completeness. Take for 

 instance the species composing the genera Pieris and Colias, and begin- 

 ning with the plain ground color of white or yellow, one can trace the 

 black bordering of the wings through all the different gradations from the 

 faintest marginal outline to the heaviest and widest bands, and the transi- 



