10 TIIK NAUTILUS. 



couragenients and disadvantages, labored zenlously and assiduously 

 to develop and disseminate a knowledge of the natural history of 

 Canada, arid especially of his native province. He was born in 

 1820, at Becancour, Quebec, and fur some years was Cure of Port- 

 neuf, and one of his earliest entomological writings was a list of the 

 Coleoptera of that district. Compelled by enfeebled health to 

 relinquish the regular and more active duties of the ministry, he 

 removed to Cap Rouge, near Quebec, and devoted his remaining 

 time and strength almost entirely to the study of the natural 

 sciences. In 1869 he commenced the ])ublication of the Naturaliste 

 Canadien, and notwithstanding many discouragements, completed 

 in 1891 the 20th volume, when its issue was reluctantly abandoned, 

 through the Quebec government refusing to continue the scanty 

 annual grant it had received. In 1858 Provancher published an 

 elementary treatise on botany and in 1862 his Flore du Canada. 

 Subsequently he devoted his attention chiefly to entomology, and in 

 1874 commenced his Faune Entoraologique du Canada, of which he 

 completed three volumes.* Provancher was also, especially latterly, 

 an enthusiastic conchologist, and as such became known by corre- 

 spondence to many of the principal conchologists of the States. 

 His last publication was a monographic illustrated treatise, Les 

 Mollusques de la Province de Quebec, embodying the results of the 

 author's researches in Canadian conchology. 



The occasional inaccuracies of Provancher's conchological work 

 will be excused when we consider the great disadvantages under 

 which he labored. His death is a loss that will be felt long by the 

 small band of Canadian Naturalists. 



NEWS AND NOTES. 



Editor of Nautilus, Dear Sir : Thinking that the following 

 extracts from a letter sent me a short time ago by a AVestern friend, 

 would prove of interest to your readers, I take the liberty of offer- 

 ing them for publication. 



The w'riter says : " I notice that much has been said in the Nau- 

 tilus lately about the recent discovery of Unios having a byssus. 

 In reference to this matter it would not be irrevelant for me to state 



*See article by W. \\. H. in the Canadian Entomologist, May, 1892, from 

 which the pieceding is taken. , 



