88 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



use 



advice as to the choice of some special line of investigation, which would be of particular 

 to the science of Entcmology in Canada. I believe that in 1903 more special work will be done 

 in the Dominion than has ever been done before. As in the past, invaluable assistance has 

 been rendered to Canadian collectors by experts in the United States and Canada. As much of 

 the initial correspondence has passed through my hands, I must particularly express gratitude 

 to Dr. L. 0. Howard, Dr. Harrison G. Dyar, Mr. D. W. Coquillett. and Mr. W. H. Ashmead, 

 of Washington ; Dr. J. B. Smith, of New Brunswick, N. J.; Dr. H. Skinner, of Philadelphia : 

 Dr. Wm. Barnes, of Decatur, lil., who spent .some weeks in Britisih Colu ubia and visited 

 Alberta last summer, when he called on several of our Western members thus encouraging and 

 assisting them very much by identifying many species seen in their collections ; Mr. E. P. 

 Van Duzee, ofBuflFalo ; Mr. H. Bird, of Rye, N.Y.; Prof. H. F Wickha-.i, of Iowa City, Iowa ; 

 and Mr, W. H. Harrington, of Ottawa, all of whom have been most kind and patient in identi- 

 fying species whenever submitted to them. I am pleased that, in almost all instances, Canadian 

 collectors have gladly given specimens to these specialists upon a suggestion that they would be 

 acceptable. When an expert authority who has gained his knowledge after many years of close 

 study, takes the trouble to go through a large number of specimens and name them, sometimes 

 at the expenditure of much time, the least that can be done is to make a great effort and con- 

 siderable sacrifice to provide him with any specimens which he may indicate as desirable. I 

 presume here also to remind my readers that they should be v^ry careful to remember that 

 return postage has to be paid by these gentlemen, but that they will very seldom mention this. 

 The amount of postage on parcels returned may be seen by examining the postage stamps on 

 the wrappers, and this or its equivalent should be scrupulously returned. Specimens of unde- 

 acribed species, even when uniques, are useless in a private cabinet, and, when these are 

 described by a specialist, he should at any rate have the privilege of retaining them. Such 

 specimens when deposited in the collection of a recognized authority, are where they may be of 

 benefit to a very large number of working entomologists, but when hidden away in a private 

 collection they are practically useless. This should indicate the very great importance of 

 entomologists depositing in National Museums, or in the cabinets of Societies, like our own, 

 where there is a regular curator, specimens of great rarity, or such as are of particular interest, 

 not only for the reason that they may be of use to the greatest number possible but also to pre- 

 serve them from destruction m.ore effectually than is possible in any private collection. When a 

 new species is submitted for description, as full a series as possible, and of specimens in the best 

 condition obtainable, should always be sent. Unfortunately, it is too common a practice to send 

 a poor specimen for identification. This is largely done of course to avoid the danger of destruc- 

 tion in the mails ; but, if specimens are firmly pinned, supported where necessary with cotton 

 wool, and carefully packed with plenty of soft material between the box containing the speci- 

 mens and the outside wrapper or box, they may now be sent with comparative safety. In the 

 case of lepidoptera specially prized, specimens should be relaxed, taken from their pins, and 

 put in papers for transmission by mail. 



During the past year I have learnt of several more naturalists in different parts of Canada, 

 who are working at various orders of insects. Some of these are connected with the public 

 achpols of the country, in which Nature Study has recently been recognized as an important 

 part of education In British Columbia the British Columbian Entomological Society, with 

 its headquarters at Vancouver, and with a most energetic secretary in the persoYi of Mr. R. V. 

 Harvey, and the Rev. G. W. Taylor as President, has done excellent work during the past 

 year in working up the insect fauna of the province. The Society has already issued three 

 lists containing the names of such species of lepidoptera as have been identified, and similar 

 lists of the other orders are to appear. Quarterly meetings are held for the exhibition of speci- 

 mens at various centres, and a monthly serial in manuscript is circulated, giving the experiences 



