ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 41 



In 1887, in a paper read before the Teachers' Convention at Sberbrooke, I advo- 

 cated the cultivation in schools of a taste for natural history. The means I recom- 

 mended to teachers were : 



I. Conversations on natural objects ; inform il lessons ; extempore sermons on texts 

 from the book of nature. 



II. The formation of school museums, libraries and gardens. 



III. The giving of formal object lessons, each complete in itself, and bearing upon 

 the purpose in view. 



Examples of peripatetic lessons on natural history may be found in Gosse's 

 "' Canadian Naturalist " (which is now, I am sorry to say, out of print) and in " Country 

 Walks of a Naturalist with his Children," Groombridge & Sons, London. 



Hints for the formation of school museums may be found in a work written by 

 a brother of a former rector of Quebec, and published by the S. P. 0. K., viz., — 

 " The Story of our Museum," by the Eev. Henry Houseman, A.K.O. 



We need some one to do for Canada what Miss Ormerod is doing for England to 

 popularize Practical Entomology. 



We need a hand-book on this subject, written after the model of that useful 

 work " Spotton's High School Botany," for use in our public schools. 



We need school wall-sheets, representing the most important of our insect friends 

 and insect foes in their different stages, and giving a few brief particulars concerning 

 them. 



But it is time I brought this paper to a close. I will only, say in conclusion that I 

 know of no study more fascinating than that of entomology. It deals with objects of 

 such exceeding beauty ; the life histories it makes known are so marvellous that they 

 tell like fairy tales ; and, above all, the revelations that it makes to us of the Divine 

 power, wisdom and goodness so lift our thoughts from earth to heaven that we are ready 

 to exclaim with the Psalmist, " Oh Lord, how manifold are Thy works, in wisdom hast 

 Thou made them all ; the earth is full of Thy riches." Ps. civ. 24. 



Mr. Wm. Lochead spoke very highly of Mr. Fyles's papers in the annual reports, 

 which he always read with great interest and pleasure. He thought that the populariz- 

 ing of the study of entomology in our schools would form another step in the progress 

 and advancement of Canada. He then gave an account of the work that was carried on 

 at Cornell University in connection with entomology and described the advantages to be 

 gained from the lectures, and the practical work in the "Insectary," from such able 

 teachers as Professor Comstock and Mr. Slingerland. 



Mr. J. Law moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Fyles for his valuable paper, and was 

 seconded by Mr. W. Scarrow, who spoke of the lack of mental interest in farmers, 

 which might, he thought, be developed by education in entomology and the study of other 

 natural objects, and in this way farm- work would become a pleasure instead of mere 

 drudgery.' 



A very humorous paper was then read by Mr. Law, in which he gave amusing de- 

 scriptions of the experience he had with ants and other insect pests during a residence 

 in Cuba ; he related an attack which he witnessed of a large spider on a humming-bird, 

 and spoke of the size and beauty of the fire-flies and the profusion and variety of 

 insect life in the tropics. 



The meeting adjourned at 10.30 p.m. 



