258 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [NoV 



NATURE STUDIES. 



The appended newspaper clippings describe the plan of 

 work of an organization which was started in this place last 

 spring, and the enclosed clippings, all from our local paper, 

 give some idea of what we have accomplished. I send these 

 to you, thinking that some of the readers of The News might 

 like to try some such plan in other places. As a result of 

 the organization here, the number of people very much inter- 

 ested in entomology has increased from one to seven. 



Yours truly, W. E. Howard, 



Belfast, Maine. 



Those interested in nature studies met at the High School room 

 last Monday evening: and listened attentively to a talk on birds by 

 Rev. A. A. Smith. Mr. Smith is a close observer of birds, their 

 life and habits, and from a classification, in their common English 

 names, written on the blackboards, and trom specimens and pic- 

 tures, talked interestingly for about an hour. The individual 

 members of common families were taken separately and something 

 of interest in regard to the name and habits was given. Mr W. R. 

 Howard on " Moths and Butterflies," and Mr, Smith on '* Bird 

 Life," were very fortunate selections of speakers and subjects, and 

 for next week Rev. J. M. Leighton on the " Early Spring Flow- 

 ers'' must of necessity be as interesting from his love and knowl- 

 edge of them. While these gatherings are informal in some re- 

 spects, they are creating a deeper interest in nature at the season 

 of the year most favorable. Mr. Howard, as chairman of the special 

 committee appointed at the first meeting, reported that the com- 

 mittee thought it advisable to form two associations. To form the 

 Agassiz Chapter of the school children, and those out of school into 

 an independent class not connected with the Chapters in any way» 

 but to jointly enjoy the general talks. 



A sensational article is going the rounds of the plate matter papers 

 giving a feirful account of the work of a new and dans:erons insect 

 called the 'strangling bug,"' from its habit of strikino^ its victims 

 in the neck. The description, illustration and scientific name (^e 

 nacus griseus), are those of a very common and harmless insect,, 

 commonly called the water boatman or electric light bug. It lives 

 in the water, but is caught in July flying abaut electric street 

 lights with the beetles and moths. One member of the Belfast 

 Nature Club has sijt specimens caught this season, and the insect 

 was so common that many were allowed to escape. This allied 

 teri'or belons s to the order Hemiptera. It is about two inches long, 

 brown in color, with large gauzy wings, which fold closely upon 

 the back. The hind legs are strong for swimming and it has- 



