60 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Feb. 



approved of by the meeting. It was also proposed that the Council 

 should publish a small pamphlet giving directions for capturing 

 and preserving insects, as the best means of obtaining specimens 

 from the Lower St. Lawrence and Labrador coasts. 



The following were then elected officers for the current year: — 

 President, F.J. S. Dore; Vice-President, the Abbe Brunet, Prof. 

 Botany, Laval University; Secretary-Treasurer, G. J. Bowles; 

 Curator, W. Couper ; Members of the Council, R. H. Browne, A. 

 L. Russell, and G. C. Gibsone. 



A number of rare and beautiful insects were on the table for 

 inspection by the members. Among these were Melitcea phceton, 

 Saturniamiia, Thecla mopsus, Thecla falacer, Arctia parthenos ; 

 Cicindela macro, Cyclirus marginatus, C. stenostomus, Carabus 

 vinctus, Diccelus sculptilis, Megasoma thersites, Prionus laticollis, 

 Callichroma splendidum, Saperda oreata, Saperda Fayi. The ten 

 last-named species are from the United States, and belong to Mr. 

 Couper. The Abbe Brunet exhibited two cases of French Coleoptera. 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF CANADIAN COLEOPTERA. 

 By William Couper, Quebec. 



1. Amara pygmea. — Black; thorax margined, longitudinally 

 channeled in the centre; with a double impression and inter- 

 spersed punctures near the posterior margin. Elytra with nine 

 punctured striae, punctures profound on the dorsal region, but 

 obscure laterally and posteriorly. Sutural striae slightly bent 

 towards the region of scutellum ; second stria (composed of about 

 ten punctures) joins the third, and runs obliquely towards the 

 sutural stria, but does not join it ; the sixth stria shortest 

 posteriorly. Antennae, palpi, legs, and underparts of body chest- 

 nut. Length \ inch. Quebec ; rare. 



Similar in form but much smaller than Amara avida, Say- 

 In the latter the thoracic discoidal channel is deeper, and the 

 punctures near the posterior angles are more diffused. The first 

 or sutural striae of elytra are abbreviated, and join the second ; 

 while in A. pygmea the first elytral stria is entire, and the tibiae 

 are very spinose, especially the anterior pair. 



2. Gyrinus fraternus. — Head, antennae, and thorax black, 

 highly polished, the latter margined anteriorly with a single row 



