C|t (Miabian 



VOL. III. LONDON, ONT., OCTOBER, 1S71. No. 7. 



ANNUAL ADDRESS 



OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO, [871. 



To the Members of the Entomological Society of Ontario: 



Gentlemen '—-It is with no ordinary feelings of pleasure and satisfaction 

 that I offer you my congratulations upon the continued success and 

 prosperity of the Entomological Society of Ontario. We are now met 

 together to hold our first Annual Meeting under our Act of Incorpora- 

 tion, and as a public Society duly recognized by the Government of 

 the Province, and closely associated with the Agricultural and Arts 

 .Association of Ontario, who are now holding their great Annual Exhi- 

 bition in this city of Kingston. As Ave have now attained to a position 

 so much superior to anything we anticipated a few years ago, it may 

 not be amiss to give a brief account of the origin and progress of the 

 Society, and of the work it has been able to accomplish. 



The origination of the Society may be traced to the publication 

 in the number of the Canadian Naturalist and Geologist for June, 1862, 

 of a '" List of Entomologists in Canada," prepared by Mr. Saunders of 

 London, Ont., and myself. As this List contained the names of thirty-six 

 persons interested in the collection and study of Insects, it was resolved 

 to hold a meeting and endeavour to form a Society or Club of those 

 engaged in this branch of Natural Science. In the following September, 

 accordingly, ten gentlemen assembled at the residence of Prof. Croft in 

 Toronto, and decided upon the formation of an Entomological Society 

 whose objects should be (1) the preparation of as complete a collection 

 as possible of Canadian Insects, to be kept in some central place for 

 general information and reference ; (2) the charge of a depository of 

 duplicate specimens contributed by Entomologists for distribution 

 amongst its members ; and (3) the holding of meetings from time to 

 time for mutual information and the advancement of the science through- 

 out the country at large. As so few were present at this meeting, no 

 definite organization was attempted at the time, but the matter was laid 

 over until the following spring. 



