ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 45 



"by Mr. Fjples and other members of the Quebec branch : Phyciodes nycteis, Terias lisa, 

 tSannina exitiosa, Spilosoma congrua and cunea, Rheumaptera basiliata, Tetraphora 

 iestata, and Conops Sagittarius. Mr. Fyles also reported the capture of Anarta melaleuea 

 aad Melipotis limbolaris. 



The meeting then adjourned, after a very profitable two day's session, during which 

 much enjoyable time was spent in the comparison of specimens, and in examining the 

 many interesting books and cabinets belonging to the Society. All who were present 

 expressed their pleasure at the new quarters of the Society, which are so much more con- 

 venient, as well as brighter and more comfortable than the former rooms. 



THE VALUE OF SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 

 By J. Alston Moffat, London. Ont. 



Francis Albert Rollo Russell, Esq., Vice-President of the Royal Meteorological 

 Society, &c, &c, has this to say upon the influence of weather on insect pests : 



" The effect of a particular kind of season on insect pests is worthy of more attention. 

 than it has hitherto received. The importance of attacking in time and as far as possible 

 destroying the insect life which, if neglected, inflicts incalculable damage on crops and 

 gardens, has scarcely been realized, owing to the blight being generally regarded as a 

 necessary evil, not to be foreseen or prevented. The development of insect pests is 

 generally favored by dry weather. Stunting of the growth, and over maturation of the 

 sap of plants induce early changes in the maturing and structure of aphides ; the insects 

 multiply without the interference of the ordinary destructive influences of bad weather, 

 and delicate maggots, etc., which are generally drowned in very large numbers by storms 

 of rain, emerge unharmed. At the same time it may happen that corn and other crops 

 may be enabled by earlier hardening of the case, stalks, etc., to protect themselves against 

 attacks which in wet years would bring serious damage. In some countries, and in respect 

 to some crops, it is customary to arrange the date of maturity with special regard to the 

 protective power of the plant and the period of expected attacks from insects. The whole 

 subject is at present too little under scientific observation, and great benefit might result 

 if the following branches of inquiry were systematically investigated : (1) The influence 

 of different kinds of weather in developing insect pests ; (2) the time of appearance of 

 crop insects in different seasons in relation to the weather, and the time at which crops 

 are most open to attack in different seasons, according to the weather ; (3) the treatment 

 of the ground in drought with a view to destroy threatening pests in their early stages, 

 and, in general, the conduct of agricultural operations with regard to the probable develop 

 ment of particular pests resulting from particular kinds of weather ; (4) the issue of fore- 

 casts of insect prevalence, derived from a careful study of the habits of various species of 

 Insect pests, and of the weather of present and previous seasons." 



Everyone knows and admits the powerful and direct connection that exists 

 between the weather and the crops. 



That the weather has a powerful influence on the propagation, maturation, multi- 

 plication, migration and consequent spread of insect pests, is known only to those who 

 have given the matter some consideration. That some insects are in the habit of 

 appearing periodically is a truth well established by observation, and that the weather 

 must afiect these appearances can readily be inferred. 



The weather of an extensive territory is often quite diverse in the different por- 

 tions of that territory, and we can form but very little idea of the influences that are at 

 work, or where they may be at work, in producing the particular kind of weather 

 existing at any given time, in any given locality. 



Lieut. Maury, U.S. N., in his magnificent work "The Physical Geography of the 

 Sea," gives his reasons for believing that the great bulk of the precipitation on this 

 continent is evaporated from the sea of the southern hemisphere. The meteorological 



