72 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. | 
Accordingly, we find that he was sent to Potsdam Academy, in the 
State of New York, to prosecute his studies. Here he remained for some 
considerable period, paying special attention to mathematics, with the 
view of fitting himself for a land surveyor. He does not appear, however, 
to have had any special liking for this profession, for he soon gave it up, 
and betook himself to other avocations. Between the years 184252, he 
“held various appointments, such as Clerk of the Crown, Clerk of the 
Bankrupt Court, Registrar of the Surrogate Court, &c., &c. à 
In the fall of 1854, he removed with his family to Prescott, where he 
was appointed General Agent of the Bytown & Prescott Railway. He 
subsequently, and up to within a short time of his death, held other 
offices in connection with the same Company. He remained in Prescott 
until the spring of 1863, when he returned to Ottawa, where he afterward 
permanently resided. It was while living in Prescott that he began, sys- 
tematically, the study of Botany and Entomology. These continued to be 
his favourite branches, although he also gave some attention to Geology 
and Mineralogy. 
Mr. Billings’ Botanical collection, which pretty thoroughly exhausted 
the field around Prescott and Ottawa, consisted of 1897 species, and 
embraced about one half of the entire number contained in Cray’s 
Manual. It is now the property of the Ottawa Scientifie and Literary 
Society. His collection of Entomological specimens was also extensive 
and valuable. Besides contributing to the Smithsonian Institute of 
Washington, and to various’ private collections, he presented a large 
assortment of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera to the Literary and Scientific 
Society of Ottawa. Considering the very limited opportunities at his 
disposal, it is surprising that he was able to accomplish so much as he 
did. His close and unremitting attention to his office duties might have 
been supposed to discourage him in the prosecution of his favorite re- 
searches. But such was not the case. When the day’s work was over, 
it was to him always a source of the highest enjoyment to get away into 
the country, and hold converse with Nature. He loved not merely the 
flowers, he also enjoyed the haunts where they are to be found. By the 
lonely river-bank 
“Le lingered many summer hours, 
Deep in the olden forests. he sought the sweet wild flowers.” 
In later years his attention was mainly directed to Entomology, and 
to it he devoted every spare hour that chance threw in his way. He was 
often to be met with, net in hand, in out-of-the-way places, following his 
