22 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



all observations being absolutely truthful ; it inculcates a spirit of reverence and tends to make 

 better men and women. Not only in the ie-thetic side, but also in the economic and practical 

 side is its study valuable, for it must be of great use to know what insects are beneficial, and 

 which injurious, and what plants are noxious weeds to be got rid of or useful for some special 

 purpose. In Manitoba a practical instance of the value of Nature study can be found. There 

 the children are taught in the schools to know the common weeds and plants of the country. 

 In every school thirty of the commonest plants to be found on the neighbouring farms are 

 brought in for study, and these necessarily include several weeds. The children are taught that 

 there are three kinds of plants, those that live one year, two years or many years and that of 

 the last kind there are two classes— the deep and the shallow rooted ; that plants, like animals, 

 must eat and drink, and that they do so by means of their roo*s ; and therefore, that if the 

 roots are exposed to the sun and wind they starve and die. The result alrtady is that the most 

 troublesome weeds are known and recognized throughout the length and breadth of the Pro- 

 vince, and the farms are now much cleaner than they formerly were. Some such plan ought to 

 be adopted here, and great benefits would, in a few years, result from it. The attention of our 

 children should be directed, not only to plants but to birds, insects, wild animals, anything in a 

 state of nature that may be f >und in their own neighbourhood. 



Dr. Fletcher then spoke in warm terms of the great blessings we enjoyed in this Pro- 

 vince, the excellence of our climate, the fertility of our soil, our freedom from devastating 

 Cyclones, the absence of serious epidemics, our admirable liberty with just laws to punish the 

 evil doer, and then drew the moral that we should use every effort to train up our children to be 

 worthy of such an inheritance, and to be fitted for the development and utilization of all our 

 splendid resources. 



He then delighted the audience by an exhibition of lantern slides of plants, insects, and 

 other natural objects, respecting each of which he gave clear and concise explanations a s they 

 were thrown upon the screen. The following are some ot the objects exhibited : Plant lice, 

 canker worms, codling moth, scale insects, cabbage butterfly, spruce gall louse, h jrse bot-fly. 

 sheep tick, luna moth, walking stick insects, pollen, leaf of deutzia, sections of pine, hollow and 

 solid wheat stems, lilac buds and stems, and a stem of corn, yellow columbine, the sundew, 

 Venus's fly-trap, etc. 



A cordial vote of thanks was then moved by Mr. J. H. Bowman, seconded by Rev Dr. 

 Bethune, to the Hon. J. Dryden for his kindness in presiding over the meeting ; to Dr Fyles 

 and Dr. Fletcher for their interesting addresses, and to Principal Merchant for the use of the 

 room, and his valuable services in providing the lantern, and with Mr. Rennie's assistance, 

 manipulating the slides 



The Hon. Mr. Dryden, in acknowledging the vote of thanks, said that he had been much 

 benefitted by his visit. His Department and the Entomological Society went hand in hand for 

 the country's good, and each recognized the value of the union ; he hoped that their mut^ual 

 interest would never flag. 



The meeting then adjourned. 



Thursday, November 14th, 1901. 



The Entomological Society resumed its sessions at 11 a.m., the President, Rev. Dr. Fyles, 

 in the chair. The first order of business was the reading of the Director's Reports on the Insects 

 of the year, which were followed by remarks and discussions participated in by several of the 

 members. After the Report of the C )uncil had been read, the meeting proceeded to the elec- 

 tion of officers for the ensuing year, which resulted as shown on page 2. The reports of the 

 various branches, sections, and officers were read and approved. 



In the afternoon a number of valuable and interesting papers were presented, some o f them 

 from want of time being read by title only ; rare and beautiful specimens were exhibited ; many 



