1905] Meeting of the Entomological Branch. 199 



MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL BRANCH. 



Meeting No. 19, held at Mr. Gibson's rooms on January 19th, 

 1905; nine present. The chair was taken by Mr. Arthur Gibson, 

 who stated that the proceedings this year would be of the same 

 nature as heretofore, viz., that each member would be called on in 

 turn, and he trusted that all would endeavor to bring something to 

 exhibit, or some note to read at each meeting of the Branch. In 

 the past this plan had proved so successful that he considered it 

 probably the best way of keeping up the interest. Every actually 

 observed fact was of value, however simple and unimportant it 

 might seem to the observer who made it. Accordingly he called 

 upon every one present in turn and a most instructive evening was 

 passed. 



Mr. W. Metcalte showed a collection of about 100 specimens 

 of all orders which had been collected by him when carrying on his 

 own investigations among the small Heteroptera. His material 

 in his own specialty was not yet sufficiently in order to bring 

 before the Branch, and he asked Dr. Fletcher to speak of any of 

 the specimens in the other orders which seemed worthy of men- 

 tion. Several rare specimens of flies, beetles and sawflies were 

 then exhibited and short statements made concerning each. 



Mr. Norman Criddle, one of our members, from Aweme, 

 Man., described the physical nature of that part of Manitoba where 

 he lived and pointed out the exceptionally suitable character of the 

 locality for collecting insects and plants. He also showed an in- 

 teresting series of Tiger beetles taken on the drifting sand of an 

 extensive tract of sand hills lying south of Douglas on the C. P. R. , 

 and about 12 miles east of Aweme, These specimens included the 

 beautiful local variety of Cicindela formosa, which has received the 

 varietal name of Manitoba, Leng ; C. vemista, C. purptirea, var. 

 limbalis^ C. pimciulaia, and the two very interesting sand-loving 

 species C. lepida and C. limbata. These two latter are extremely 

 rare in collections, being found on the sea coast and on similar 

 sandy tracts to the one above mentioned, in Kansas and Nebraska. 

 Other striking insects shown by Mr. Criddle were a curious rove 

 beetle named Xenodusa montana, var. hirsuta, which lives in nests 

 of ants ; a large and strong ground beetle, Pasimachus elongatus. 



