56 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February, 



"The display of specimens has been creditable, showing spe- 

 cies captured within a short distance of our city that in former 

 years were obtained for our cabinets from remote sections of the 

 country. I have noticed that species frequently taken in this 

 locality in former years were not among the exhibits made; many 

 that were desirable for cabinet exchanges seem lost to us. I refer 

 to favorites in Coleoptera, such as Myas coricinus, Cychrus, two 

 species; Ca/asoma, one; Platynus, two or three; Elateridae, two; 

 Lucanidae, two; most all of the large species in Cerambycidae are 

 seldom taken; are they becoming extinct? or has the breaking 

 up of their haunts by the tide of improvement in extending the 

 city driven them to sections we have not yet been able to locate; 

 perhaps the collectors in other orders have met with the same 

 results. My own experience in collecting has given me the 

 knowledge that many species which may be widely distributed 

 and are outlined in a geographical fauna and habitat of great 

 extent are very local in a State or even county within that area. 

 In our immediate district the woods are being cut down, as a 

 sequence, the timber feeders are destroyed or driven to new- 

 fields; with them we lose their natural destroyers; where have 

 they gone ? 



' ' To solve these mysteries I believe is part of the work of the 

 collector; also to know the fauna of his district, making a note 

 of any loss or addition, recording it where it can be used for 

 reference. We do not pretend our Social to be a scientific body, 

 but I do claim it is an auxiliary one to science, obtaining infor- 

 mation that is brought forth by field work. 



" It has been a great source of pleasure and information to us 

 in having our honorary members meet with us ; each is well 

 known to the devotees of Entomology throughout the country, 

 being eminent in their special studies; they have made our meet- 

 ings attractive; they have joined freely in the conversational part 

 of our meetings in the way of verbal communications, question- 

 ing the collector and bringing forth facts which otherwise would 

 not be recorded. They have increased to a great extent the in- 

 terest in our work by their impromptu remarks on the anatomical 

 differences of genera and species, illustrating them by drawings 

 on the black-board. Seeing we are thus encouraged I feel that 

 the members appreciate the advantage of our Social and will con- 

 tinue individually their eflforts to make our meetings pleasant and 



