271 



Ironsides. Tlit; slide was not in use on the day in question, and all the 

 insects which fell into it throughout its length of four miles and were- 

 car»'ied down by its swift current were arrested at tlie piling grounds: 

 by the boai-ds left floating in the trough. The accumulation numbered 

 many thousands and contained a great number of species, including 

 some very rare ones, but the laiger part consisted of various species of 

 Scolytida;, or bark-boring beetles (chiefly of the pine), Aphodii and 

 Staphylinida? being next in abundance. 



In the remaining orders a number of species have been captured 

 and a certain number named, while steps will be taken to have the 

 remaining insects determined by com])etent specialists. Mr. T. J. 

 MacLaughlin has commenced th? study of our dragon-flies, and if 

 others of our members would only take up the collection and investi- 

 gation of one or more of the many groups which remain untouched 

 valuable work could be done for the Club and for entomology. 



It is suggested that members could find an agreeable task in rear- 

 ing say a single species, as a complete investigation of the life history 

 of the most common insect would be of much interest and value. The 

 number of species of which a complete history has been gained is small, 

 and new facts would be sure to reward even the beginner in tliis path 

 of science. To show what important work could be accomplished we 

 may state that one of the leaders has been able to provide Mr. W. H. 

 Edwards with a drawing of the chrysalis of a butterfly {Neonyinpha 

 Canthus) which he had not before been able to obtain, and which 

 rendered complete his illustrations of the various stages of all the 

 Atlantic species of the genus. 



W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, 



JAMES FLETCHER, 



LeaJers. 

 4th December, 1884. 



