1913 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 43 



him from us to-day; and we devoutly wish him speedy relief and a complete cure. 



Dr. William Saunders was President of the Entomological Society from 1875 

 to 1886, and Editor of the Canadian Entomologist, from 1874: to 1886. Ilis 

 appointment as Director of the Experimental Farms of the Dominion — a position 

 for which he was admirably fitted — was the cause of his retirement from office 

 in the Society. 



We have as a token of Dr. Saunders' entomological ability, his valuable work 

 on "Insects Injurious to Fruits." For this, and in recognition of his many 

 scientific attainments, the Duke of Mantua and Montserrat presented him with a 

 handsome gold medal. 



Professor John Macoun, F.E.S.C, F.L.S., Naturalist for the Greological Survey, 

 is noted throughout this continent for his ornithological and botanical works. 



Such men as these could not but raise in public estimation any cause to 

 which they gave their names and support. 



An important Government appointment, following upon that of Dr. Saunders, 

 was that of Dr. James Fletcher as Botanist and Entomologist for the Experimental 

 Farms. Dr. Fletcher's extensive knowledge, his genial manners, his ready speech 

 and his goodly presence, made him a very welcome visitor at meetings of Agri- 

 cultural, Horticultural and other societies, and he did muoh, throughout the wide 

 Dominion, to bring the study of Entomology favourably before the people. 



Dr. Fletcher was one of those who, in 1879, established the Ottawa Field 

 Naturalists' Club, a very important association, the leaders of which conduct its 

 memlbers into the fields and woods, and point out to them the wonders of Creation, 

 and the lessons that may he learned from them. Mr. Arthur Gibson, so long and 

 so well known as an able Entomologist, is the Editor of its organ The Ottawa 

 Naturalist. The Club numbers over 300 members. 



Another association worthy of our consideration is that which has its head- 

 quarters in Macdonald College at Ste. Anne de Bellevue — an institution that was 

 raised and endowed, at a cost of $5,000,000, by the munificent patron of learning, 

 Sir William Christopher Macdonald. The Association I speak of is the "Quebec 

 Society for the Protection of Plants." With it some of our best known Entomol- 

 ogists are connected — notably Professors Lochhead and Swaine. The Society has 

 issued four Annual Eeports, and also a capital list of the Lepidoptera of Quebec 

 Province, by Mr. A. F. Winn. These have been printed by order of the Quebec 

 Legislature. The Society has a membership of 60 persons. 



Now consider for a moment the numbers I have adduced: — 



After notice of meeting had been issued — 9 persons only — one of them a boy, 

 assemhled in Toronto to form the Entomological Society of Ontario; the Ottawa 

 Field Naturalists number now over 300; The Preservation of Plants Society, 60. 

 Do not these figures betoken an increased interest in Nature Studies ? Our Ontario 

 Entomological Society numbers at the present time 141 members. 



In its early years the ^Entomological Society was disposed to itinerate. Its 

 annual meetings from 1871 to 1877 were held successively in Kingston, Hamilton, 

 London, Toronto, Ottawa and again in Hamilton; but for 28 years after, with but 

 seven interruptions, they were held in London. Members good and true resided 

 in that city and its vicinity; and the Geological, Botanical, Ornithological, and 

 Microscopical Sections of the Society there did excellent work. There, too, Mr. 

 J. Alston Moffat, most patient and obliging of curators, devoted himself to the 

 duties of his of!ic«. In the Annual Eeport for 1897 there is a picture of him and 

 of the library he loved so well. 



