90 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



It is very well to apply such a law to recent names, or wh.ere several 

 titles have been equally in use for some time, but to make it binding in every 

 instance, seems absurd, and is a method that we should never think of 

 adopting in the ordinary affairs of life. Mr. Lyman suggested in his presi- 

 dential address, a few years ago, the formation of an Entomologists' Union, 

 that should bring out an authoritative Insect List; there are, I suppose, 

 many difficulties in the way of such an undertaking. It would, however, 

 be a great convenience if we had a list of Canadian Lepidoptera — a work 

 which this Society might very well undertake — so that beginners would 

 not have to wade tnrough page after page of irrelevant matter when seeking 

 information about our own species. 



It might be formed on the general plan of Dyar's List, and, according 

 to his nomenclature, if that was thought desirable, but the old names of 

 genera should be placed in brackets beside the new ones where changes 

 have been made, and the geographical range of each species, and time of 

 appearing, given as far as possible. 



The Montreal branch had, at one time, something of this kind in view, 

 and prepared some material for it, I believe. And if some method of in- 

 dicating subspecies, as here proposed, could be adopted in such a publication, 

 it would recommend itself to many, I think, as a partial deliverance from 

 the grievous burden of scientific nomenclature. 



NOTES ON THE SEASON OF 1904, (WESTERN QUEBEC). 



By Charles Stevenson, Montreal, Que. 



The agriculturists of this district have been little troubled by insect 

 pests. The potato heetle,Leptinstarsa (Doryphora) decemlineata Say, has 

 not been troublesome. The Tent caterpillars Malacosoma Americana, Hub, 

 and the Tentles M. disstria, Hub., have been scarce. Some colonies of the 

 former were seen at St. Hilaire, which had practically destroyed some 

 young and isolated apple-trees, but there were no signs of attack on the old 

 trees, thanks to the excellent care taken of the orchards and the applica- 

 tion of insecticides. The common Tussock-moth caterpillars Hemero- 

 campa leucostigma, S. and A., continue to increase on the shade trees of 

 Montreal and throughout the district. The caterpillars of H. definita, 

 Pack, were more prominent this year. 



The Rhopalocera usually found in this district were more abundant 

 than last year, except Anosia plexippus, Linn, which still remains con- 

 spicuous by its scarcity. Enodia portlandia, Fab., has been taken several 

 times on Montreal Island in the month of August. 



The flight of Heterocera was more interesting in the numerous species 

 found in comparison to the quantity of specimens on the wing, thus making 

 collecting at light more enjoyable. The most attractive catch was, pro- 

 bably, that of a specimen of Erebus odora, Linn, on the 13th September on 

 Cadieux Street, Montreal. That beautiful moth Euclea delphinii, Bois, was 

 taken on the 18th July, and the attractive geometer Euchlaena serrata 

 Drury, on the 11th May. Tolype velleda, Stoll, was very abundant at light 

 from the 14th to 16th September, and there was a veritable plague of En- 

 nomos magnarius, Gn., in all varieties of markings on the 26th September, 

 with practically nothing else flying. 



The collectors of Coleoptera have worked hard this season, and obtained 

 good results. A patch of Elder bushes Sainhucus Canadensis, Linn, at Cote 

 St. Paul were swarming with our beautiful longhorn beetle, Desmocerus 



