448 MATERIALS FOR A FAUNA CANADENSIS. 



terials now in my hands, a Flora Canadensis, the utility of which I 

 think cannot be doubtful ; though no one can be more conscious than 

 I am how much remains to be done in the way of diligent herborisa- 

 tion throughout all parts of the Province, and it is in promoting this 

 interesting labour, that I think the work I propose would be especially 

 useful. The birds which annually visit us are beginning to be well 

 known. We have public and private museums of considerable rich- 

 ness. A French-Canadian gentleman — M. Lemaire — has published 

 in his own language, a good popular account of them, which has met 

 with well-deserved success ; and we know that he has proposed to our 

 highly-valued friend, T. W. Cottle, Esq., of Woodstock, — whom no- 

 body, excels in a familiar practical acquaintance with the birds of 

 Canada, — to translate his work into English, with such modifications 

 as his own judgment might suggest ; thus producing an Ornitholo- 

 gical manual for Canadians using the English language, which could 

 not fail of giving a great impulse to this attractive branch of Zoology. 

 Even our own means, from the extensive collection of the University, 

 aided by local catalogues and occasional notices, would enable us to 

 do much in relation to the birds of Canada, and we may possibly at- 

 tempt a sketch of their arrangement ; but for particulars respecting 

 species, their distinctions, and their habits, we should gladly come as 

 learners to such an authority as we have named, and we earnestly 

 hope that he will be induced to engage in the undertaking we have 

 referred to. We could easily name a friend who possesses admirable 

 materials for working out several of the more difficult orders of Cana- 

 dian Insecta ; and there are not wanting considerable materials for 

 the illustration of the land and fresh-water Mollusca. How far it 

 may seem expedient to proceed with these papers we cannot yet judge ; 

 but the following fragment relating to Neuropterous Insects will at 

 least shew what we propose, and what means are at our disposal for 

 working out our plan. 



The great class Insecta, includes articulate animals with jointed 

 limbs ; a distinct head, with two antennae ; respiration by tracheae ; 

 and distinct sexes. It is obvious that these characters exclude, on 

 the one hand, Arachnida ; on the other, all grades of Crustacea and 

 Annulata, as well as the lower form Rotifera. Thus defined, the class 

 includes a lower sub-class termed Myriapoda, with limbs to each ar- 

 ticulation, and whose development is not much beyond that of the 

 larval forms of the higher division ; together with the true, or Hexa- 



