30 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO, 



Entomological Publications. 



The study of Entomology from an economic standpoint, has, of recent years, been' 

 rapidly developed in America, and the Association of Ecoromic Entomologists, organized ta 

 bring together the workers in this field of applied science, must exercise a powerful in- 

 fluence upon future investigations of this nature. The agriculturist will have no excuse, 

 for remaining in ignorance of at least an elementary knowledge of his insect enemies 

 when the results of the investigations of trained entomologists in every section of the 

 country are so frequently and freely issued in bulletins and reports. 



In Canada our Society has been a pioneer in this direction, and for more than a 

 score of years has issued an Annual Report, which is generously distributed by the Ontario 

 Department of Agriculture. In more recent years the Dominion Government has sought 

 to assist and develop the agricultural interests of the various Provinces and Territories, 

 by the e.stablishment of Experimental Farms. These are under the direction of Prof, 

 Saunders, for several years President of this Society, who is well-known as a writer oq 

 economic entomology, and especially by his able treatise on Insects injurious to Fruits, 

 which is a standard text-book for fruit-growers throughout America, tie is fortunate in 

 having associated with him, as Entomologist and Botanist, Mr. Fletcher, who has also^ 

 been more than once our president, and whose industry and scientific acquirements render 

 him unusually well-qualified to occupy such a diflicult and responsible position. His yearly 

 reports and occasional bulletins are replete with information clearly and concisely ex- 

 pre£.sed, and, as they are gjatuitously supplied to applicants interested in these subjects, it 

 is unnecessary for any one to suflfer insect depredations to go unchecked. 



In the United States the Division of Entomology at Washington, under the guidance 

 of the most eminent of all economic entomologists, Prof. Riley, assisted by a staff of numer- 

 ous trained and skilful observers, conducts most thorough investigations in all parts of 

 the country where any pest attains unusual prominence. The publications, based upon 

 these researches, are most valuable and reliable records of the habits of injurious species, 

 the parasites from which they suffer and the remedies which may be most easily and 

 effectually employed against them. A complete series of the publications issued up ta 

 date forms in itself a very valuable library. The Smithsonian Institution, in the Bulletins 

 of the TJ. S. National Museum and other publications, affords to authors a means of issuing 

 more extensive and exhaustive monographs than could be received by the regular entomo- 

 logical journals. Among recent issues from this great source of scientific knowledge may 

 be mentioned the Directions for Collecting and Preserving Insects, by Prof. Riley, which 

 is the most complete and satisfactory text-book known to me on a subject which forms 

 the basis of all entomological study and advancement. A larger work, although appeal- 

 ing to a more specialized and limited class of readers, is Bulletin No. 44, in which Prof. 

 John B. Smith gives a further proof of his untiring energy and ability in a Catalogue of 

 the Lepidopterous Sub-family Noctuidse, found in Boreal America, forming a volume of 

 400 pages. 



The various State Entomologists, Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations 

 swell the tide with reports and bulletins. It would take too long to enumerate even the 

 most important of these, but mention may be made of the many valuable reports of 

 Lintner, Comstock and Forbes, to indicate the character of the work accomplished by 

 such professional workers in the wide field of economic entomology. 



The general literature relating to insects increases with great rapidity, and the 

 yearly additions are so voluminous as to be almost discouraging to students who desire to 

 have, or to know, all that is being published. The record of entomological writings of 

 1892 (Insecta ; Dr. Sharp) gives over one thousand titles of papers. It is scarcely pos- 

 sible for any of us to obtain, or even see, all these writings, however much we may de- 

 sire to possess, or, at least, to peruse them, but a certain number of publications are neces- 

 sary if we desire to obtain a knowledge even of our own fauna. 



Of these, The Canadian Entomologist, now completing its twenty-fifth volume, is the 

 most essential to Canadian students, and, although dealing more especially with the in- 

 ects of our own dominions, it contains many valuable contributions from wider fields, by 

 he most noted entomologists of the day. Under the careful editorship of our late Presi- 

 ent. Dr. Bethune, it shows a steady improvement in quality and quantity of matter, and 



