PROCEEDINGS FOR 1899 CXI 



tl.ian 40 of the states and territories of the gre'at Eepublic to the soutli 

 of us. 



At 429 Wellington Street, London, Ont., the society has its head- 

 quarters, a large, convenient and well-appointed room, with a valuable 

 library of 1,600 volumes, and cabinets containing many thousands of 

 choice specimens, contributed by its members or obtained by purchase 

 or donation. Among its treasures are special collections, such as the 

 Pettit collection of Coleoptei'a, the Loomis collection of Japanese but- 

 terflies, the Moffat collection of Canadian Lepidoptera, acquisitions 

 gained through years of research by skilful scientific men. 



The society's librarian and curator is Mr. J. Alston Moffat, a man 

 devoted to his work, well acquainted with the objects under his care, 

 ar.d most kind and obliging to those who seek information from liim. 

 The room is open at all convenient hours, and Un examination of its 

 contents will well repay the naturalist who will take the time to visit it. 



The various sections of the society are working zealously. The 

 botanical section reports the discovery of three plants new to the district 

 of London. It also draws attention to a species of wild lettuce {Laduca- 

 sccL'vola) that is rapidly spreading, and becoming troublesome to the 

 agriculturists of Middlesex count}', and to 'a species of dodder {Cuscuta 

 epWiymum) that flourishes upon clover. The microscopical section held 

 nine meetings in the course of the year. Papers on " Shine Moulds,'' 

 Bacteria, Eadiolaria, Diatoms, 'and Marine Algge, were read before it. 

 The geological section met weekly throughout the year. Its report 

 describes the bituminous shales of Kettle Point, the "Crystal Cave" at 

 Put-in Bay, and the strontium found in it, the Alvinston shales, the 

 dolomite rocks at Gait, and the new oil-field in Samia toAvnship. 



ÎSTotes on the " Insects of the Year " have been sent in by the 

 society's divisional directors, Messrs. W. Hague Harrington, Ottawa ; 

 J. D. Ev'ans, Trenton; Arthur Gibson, Toronto; A. H. Kilman, Eidg- 

 way ; E. W. Eennie, London. These notes appear in the society's 

 annual report. 



Flourishing branches of the society exist in Toronto, Montreal and 

 Quebec. That of Montreal is particularly deserving of notice, foras- 

 much as it has recently celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of its 

 formation. To do honour to the occasion, the piirent society held its 

 'annual meeting in Montreal, and the iSTatural History Society and the 

 Microscopical Society of that city gave their aid and support. The 

 proceedings were of a most interesting and enjoyable character. 



The' society's monthly organ, The Canadian Entomologist, com- 

 pleted its thirtieth volume in December last. In this volume 'articles 

 from fifty-three contributors may be found. Some of the authors wrote 



