ENrOMOLOGIOA-L SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. \S 



5ias thus a new field of investigation open to him. Mr. W. H. Danby of Victoria is 

 aIso an energetic collector, and our former associate in the Council, Mr. E Baynes Reed, 

 now resides at Esquiraalt, a few miles from Victoria, and although he has not yet sent to us 

 any account of his work, I know that lie is making collections. The recent organization 

 •of a Natural History Society in Victoria may stimulate a further interest in Entomo- 

 logy, indeed I bolieve that a catalogue of the butterflies of Vancouver Island has already been 

 published in the transactions of tie Society. Several hundred miles to the north, at 

 Masset in the Queen Charlotte Islands, there is a very careful and competent collector, 

 the Rev. J. H. Keen, who in this farthest outpost has made most interesting discoveries, 

 especially in coleoptera. 



A considerable knowledge of the insects of the remoter regions of the Dominion has 

 resulted from the collections made by various members of the staff of the Geological 

 Survey ; prominent among whom may be mentioned Dr. Dawson, Dr. Bell and Prof. 

 Macoun. There has not yet been any regular entomological work done in connection 

 with the Survey, and it cannot be expected that the collections of insects, which are 

 made in addition to the regular field woik, should be very large or comprehensive. But 

 our thanks are no less due to the gentlemen who have aided ; for even a few specimens 

 brought in occasionally, from the distant points reached by these explorers, may do much 

 to help in ascertaining the geographical range and distribution of species. Reference to 

 Volume XX [I of the Entomologist will show that quite a long and useful list of coleoptera 

 was obtained by collating the various short lists published in the Survey Reports. 

 When the Dominion Museum is housed in correspondence with the value of its great 

 collections, and room is afibrded for the display of the natural history specimens collected, 

 the explorers will feel a greater interest in the securing of specimens, and a department, 

 of entomology will probably soon be installed. 



Having now made a rapid, and necessarily imperfect, survey of the districts which 

 our members have explored in the past, or which they are still investigating, let us change 

 our point of view, and, for a few moments, consider what attention has been bestowed 

 upon the several orders, into which it has pleased systematic entomalogists to separate 

 the great and almost inexhaustible complex of minute forma, which are known to us 

 under the general term Insects. From the twenty-five volumes of the Entomologist, I 

 have made a list of the papers which seemed to me to be of most importance in helping 

 us to a knowledge of the position of our workers in regard to the investigation of the 

 several orders. The list (appended) is by no means a complete one, as numerous short 

 papers, notes on the occurrence of species, and interesting correspondence have been 

 omitted ; my object not being to make an index of papers. 



It is found that the contributions dealing with lepidoptera probably equal, in number 

 and volume, those relating to all the remaining groups. This, however, is not surprising, 

 for to this order belong the most beautiful examples of all terrestrial life ; flowers of the 

 air, their wings decked with all the hues that blossom or gem can show ; as they wincr 

 their brilliant flight through the glad summer days, or hover raliantly over the fraorrant 

 blooms, th<-y naturally appeal to every heart which is warmed by the least vestige of 

 artistic or poetic taste. Dull and debased indeed in feeling, and most sincerely to be 

 pitied, must he be who sees not some beauty, feels not something of inward pleasure, in 

 beholding these wonderful atoms of grace and brightness. 



" The dreamy butterflies 



With diizzliuff colours powdered and soft glooms, 

 White, black and criitison stripes, and peacock eyes, 



Or on chance tiowers sit, 

 With idle effort plundering one by one. 

 The nectaries of deepest throated blooms." 



— Robert Bridges. 



Apart also from th^ir beauty of form and richness of ornament in the winged state, the 

 lepidoptera furnish the most interesting and attractive examples for the study of the 

 ■development and life of the insect, from the egg to the imago. In the larval stage they 

 also play a most important part in the economy of nature, and make man pay tribute in 

 varied and large measure. Yet even in this favorite order then- remiina plenty of work 



