C4 B.C. Entosiolooical Society. 



of the Society and the zeal of its members were evinced liy the pulilicatiou by the 

 Society of the first mimber of the Canadian Entomologist in Angnst, 1S68, and 

 since that time the Society's journal has regularly appeared each month. In 1870 

 the Society received a grant from the Council of the Agricultural and Arts 

 Association of Ontario for the formation of a collection and the publication of an 

 annual report on injurious insects. Accordingly, the ' First Annual Report of the 

 Noxious Insects of the Province of Ontario ' was prepared in 1870. and published 

 Iiy the Ontario Government in the year following. In 1871 the Government of the 

 Province of Ontario passed a Statute incorporating The Entomological Society of 

 Canada as The Entomological Society of Ontario, which was instituted ' for the 

 investigation of the character and habits of insects, the improvement of entomo- 

 logical science, and more especially its practical bearing on the agi'icultural and 

 horticultural interests of the Province.' A grant was made to the Society by the 

 Provincial Government, and the same has been continued annually, as also has the 

 publication of the Society's Annual Report. The national character of the Society, 

 notwithstanding its Provincial designation, was continued, and branches were 

 formed outside Ontario, at Montreal, Quebec, and in British Cohnubia. Its history 

 has been one of steady progress, and the systematic siele of the science has not 

 been divorced from the economic, as the pages of the Society's journal, the Cunadinn 

 Entomologist, abundantly testify. The continued progress of the Society has been 

 largely due to the untiring efforts, fired by an enthusiasm and devotion which ever 

 increased, of our Jubilee President, who from its foundation has, as secretary, 

 president, editor of the journal, and permanent counsellor, devoted himself whole- 

 heartedly to its welfare and to the advancement of Canadian entomology." 



Dr. C. J. S. Bethune had been elected previously as Jubilee President in honour 

 of his energy and zeal for the cause of entomology in the Dominion. He was unable, 

 however, to act in his official capacity on account of defective eyesight. The Vice- 

 President, Dr. C. Gordon Hewitt, Dominion Entomologist, ably filled Dr. Bethmie's 

 position, seated on Dr. Bethune's left hand throughout the meetings. Mr. A. W. 

 Baker acted as Secretary, and he also performed his arduous duties with pleasure 

 to all. 



As a further detailed description of the early days of the Society. I beg leave 

 to extract the text of Dr. Bethune's address from the pages of the Canadian 

 Entomologist of November. 191.3: — 



" The President, Dr. Bethune, stated that, owing to defective eyesight, he was 

 unable to prepare a formal written address, and would therefore endeavour to give 

 some account of the origin of the Society and the proceedings that led to its 

 formation. 



" When a student at Trinity College, Torooto, he began the collection and study 

 of insects. At that time there were no available books on the subject. The flret 

 worlc that gave him any assistance in naming specimens was Gosse's ' Canadian 

 Naturalist,' a delightful work giving an account of ol)servatious made in various 

 departments of natural history during each month of the year in the eastern 

 townships of the Province of Quebec. In the Canadian journal there were published 

 excellent short descriptions of the more conspicuous beetles found in the neighbour- 

 hood of Toronto by Wm. Couper, a printer by trade. These were supplemented by 

 lists furnished by Professor Croft, of the University of Toronto. Kirby and 

 Spence's ' Entomology ' and Westwood's ' Modern Classification of Insects ' were 

 published about that time and afforded the first scientific aids to the knowledge of 

 insects. Through the kindness of Professor Croft, the speaker had access to the 

 library of the University of Toronto, which contained several rare works on 

 entomology. He was also permitted to consult the books in the library of 

 Parliament, which at tliat time was located in Toronto. In these libraries ho 

 spent much of his leisure-time in laboriously transcribing descriptions of Canadian 

 insects, which, for the most part, had to be translated from Latin and French, and 

 also in making copies of illustrations. These difficulties can liardly be realized by 



