ANNUAL ADDKESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE MONTREAL BRANCH 

 OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



Gentlemen, — Members of a young Society, especially those who are verily sincere, 

 when they learn that their institution is progressing indeed, become imbued with a sense of 

 pleasure, and I am gratified to state that the Entomologists (the majority of whom are young 

 beginners) who meet in this city have made a worthy advancement in their investigations 

 during the last year. At its inception, I had a doubt with regard to the attention which per- 

 sons joining us would give to the study of our local insects, but such a thought has been dis- 

 pelled from my mind. During the past twelve months ten papers were read, the greater por- 

 tion of which, being the production of tyros in the science, exhibit, at least, an energy on their 

 part to promote Entomology to the position for which this Branch Society was instituted. 

 Affiliated with the Entomological Society of Ontario, whose headquarters are at Loudon, 

 Ontario, we receive the same benefits of membership, etc., as our western brethren composing 

 the parent body. Our by-laws are suitably framed to meet the general work of the Branch, 

 and the only future requisite will be a mere efi'ort to prevent our Financial Secretary from 

 grumbling. By so doing, and with punctual attendance, we will be enabled to continue our 

 regular monthly meetings, and have greater pleasure when we meet mutually together in the 

 pursuit of our favourite study. Bear in mind, however, that during the next year our cabi- 

 net must be attended to — it will be necessary that it should contain at least the nucleus of a 

 general local collection, presenting a fair number of specimens of the several Orders of Insects. 

 I maintain that if we possess a good clas.sified collection of native insects it would be a great 

 inducement for young beginners to join us. Books on Entomology are generally expensive, 

 and only a few can be consulted studiously in regard to the noxious and beneficial insects of 

 this country. Valuable Entomological literature issues annually from the pens of co-labourers 

 in the United States ; the greater portion of these are in the form of State Agricultural Re- 

 ports, which seldom come to our hands. Our branch is simply in the chrysalis state, and in con- 

 sequence of the metamorphoses not being complete, we are unable at present to produce some 

 tangible matter in exchange ; but I trust the day is not distant when some of our young be- 

 ginners will be proud of their productions — as worthy of being read by the old heads 

 in the science. However, I have thought that, from time to time, duplicate papers on Ento- 

 mology may be received by the Parent Society in exchange for The Canadian Entomolo- 

 gist. These extra papers could be perused, and doubtless be of service to members of our 

 branch, and the parent might, if it possesses such material, liberally share them between the 

 three branches of its Society. 



The Report of the Council informs you of the labour, &o., performed by members dur- 

 ing the year. Possibly these labours will stand a fair criticism as emanating from a Society 

 only in its second year, and the actual working membens but young beginners. Old student! 

 should always bear leniently towards the tyro, especially when the latter seems anxious for 

 information. He must be encouraged in this way. The low temperature which we experi- 

 ence in this latitude, during the greater portion of the year, may produce a kind of careless- 

 ness or lethargy in the young student of Entomology. This he should endeavour to avoid, 

 and he can do so by devoting his leisure winter hours to the arrangement of his cabinet — that 

 is to say, in reading, naming and classifying his specimens. He who admires the beauty and 

 appreciates the value of Entomology will, with the return of lovely spring, refreshen his 

 faculties as the objects of his research appear again before him. 



We require more knowledge in connection with the distribution of insects, especially in 

 regard to the Lepidoptera of Europe ; I mean such species as are recorded as occurring in this 

 portion of North America. Butterflies which are found distributed at this day throughout a 

 great extent of this country, are recorded by the best of naturalists as having followed man 

 from the Old World. Such species .should be fully defined in order to prevent additional 

 synonyma. " There is so great a similarity between our insect fauna and that of Southern 

 Europe, that a knowledge of their species is often of great advantage in determining our owfl." 

 The late Professor Agassiz states in his work on Lake Superior, that J^aiiesM Antiopa, "The 

 Camberwell Beauty " of England, is one of these. That a few of the Diurnals are common to 

 both continents I have no doubt, but in which of them did the species obtain their origin, or 

 what is now termed their metropolis ? My respected and talented friend Scudder, of Boston, 

 in a late memoir on the genus Pamphila, says in his comments on P. Maniloha — anew but 



