ENTOMOLOGICAL SOOEETY OF OXTAIUO. 



Locusts are, as a rule, kepL within due limits by their many enemies, but occasion - 

 ally they appear in lar^e numbers and increase so much as to cause locust plasjues oi 

 "grasshopper years." This is generally in dry summers, when they get the conditions 

 which are most advantageous for their development, but which areadverse to the free growth 

 of vegetation. In such years ifc is necessary to have recourse to artificial means to 

 protect crops. The most successful of these have been the plowing under deeply of the 

 pgga, which have been l^nown to have betsn deposited in certain localities, before they 

 have time to ln,tch, and the use of the tai--pau or "hopper-dozer," by means of which 

 the insects are caui^ht in large numbers and destroyed before they have developpd their 

 wings. These tar-pans are large, shallow pins, made of sheet iron after various patterns, 

 but, as a rule, about twelve feefc long by three wide, with the edge turned up slightly in 

 front and the back about eighteen inches high. In the bottom of these pans a small 

 quantity of tar or coal oil is placed and they are then drawn over the fields by .hor.ses. 

 The grasshoppers spring in the air when the pan is drawn towards them and fall inside 

 the pan, where they come in contact with the tar or oil, and even if they hop out again 

 they are sure to die. In this way enormous quantities are destroyed every year in che 

 Western States. 



A vote of thanks to Mr. Fletcher, for his valuable and highly interesting address, 

 was moved by R^^v. T. W. Fi'LES, who remarked, in doing so, upDn the oocurrence at 

 Quebec of both the species, Orgyia leii.costigma and nova. Dr. Bethune cordially 

 seconded the motion and expressed the great pleasure that all present had experienced in 

 listening to the address. In the course of his remirks he referred to the unusual 

 abundance this year of the Tomato-worm, the larvfe of Sphinx qioinque viaculata, and of 

 several species of grasshoppers and to the entire absence in his garden of the Pear-tree 

 slug, which had been very abundant and injurious for several years previously. He stated 

 that a friend, resident in Toronto, was of opinion that the number of house flies had 

 been very greatly diminished by the English sparrow, which devoured the larv;e, and 

 enquired whether this observation was correct. He spcke also of the publication of a 

 bibliographical catalogue of the Noctuidfe of North America, by Prof. J. B. Smith, aa 

 one of the notable events of the year. 



Mr. Dexton, in nutting the motion to the meeting, spoke of the value of the 

 remedies for the Horn fly, and gave instances of herds of cattle being kept in splendid 

 condition by being protected from the attack of this annoying insect. 



The reports of the difftrent sections for the past year were next read by their 

 respective secretaries. . 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SRCTION OF THE ENTOMO- 

 LOGICAL S0CIET5f OF ONTARIO FOR 1892-3. 



This section has held about half a dozen meetings during the year, most of which 

 have been attended by almost every member. The approach of the collecting season, 

 however, led to such a scant attendance that the meetings were dropped. 



A ledger was opened to record the distribution, abundance, nesting habits, etc., of 

 the birds of Middlesex and surrounding counties, on which se^^eral evenings' work was 

 done before the cessation of meetings, and it is the intention of members to push it 

 to completion, if possible, during the coming season. 



Each member of the section has been devoting himself to the special study of one 

 bird, and the hawk family has thus been divided between the membrirs for report this 

 pre.sent fall. Good results are looked for from this concentration of work. • 



No very rare birds were observed during the season, but the Olivesiied Flycatcher 

 and the Fox-colored S[)arrow were observed to justify the opinion of their increased local 

 abundance, while the Tennessee warbler was unusually common for a few days in spring, 

 and was singing freely, a habit which was not previously noted in our 1 reality. All of 

 which is respectfully submitted. 



W. E. Sauxders, Chairman. 

 W. J. Stevenson, Secretary. 



