4s ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



keep each informed of what others were doing, and save in many instances an unnecessary 

 expenditure of time and labor. 



The information received at such a bureau need not be confined to that coming from 

 the regularly appointed entomologists at the agricultural stations, but from every person 

 who took an interest in the subject, and who had made an observation which he thought 

 was worthy of reporting. Thus the sources of information would be increased, which are 

 at present quite too few and widely separated. But we hope for a time when every town 

 and district will have at least one intelligent observer to report for that locality. Then, 

 how many curious, interesting and important questions of insect economy that long have, 

 and still remain involved in mystery, will find a solution through the united systematic 

 work of numerous observers 1 Thus, with those interested in the doings of insects at 

 shorter distances apart, the east would be united to the far distant west, and the north 

 with the south by means of this central bureau, and instead of our having bits of informa- 

 tion about widely separated spots, as if they stood apart and alone, we would get an 

 intelligent connected view of the various steps in the progress which unite the two 

 extremes into one harmonious whole. 



ON BUTTERFLY BOOKS.* 



By Henry H. Lyman. 



Having been asked by one of the members of our branch for advice on the books 

 most necessary for one engaged in the study of the North American Lepidoptera, I have 

 thought that this subject might be of sufficient interest to some of our other members a3 

 to render it not unsuitable for a short paper. 



Hitherto I have always recommended anyone entering upon the study of North 

 American insects to purchase Harris's Insects Injurious to Vegetation as the first and 

 most necessary work upon the subject, and I recently noticed in a paper by Dr. S. H. 

 Scudder, on " The Young Entomologist and what he wants," reproduced by the Montreal 

 "Witness, from the " Independent," that the writer gives the same advice saying, " the best 

 single book is Harris's Insects Injurious to Vegetation." 



If Harris's classic work no longer enjoys that unquestioned supremacy which it has 

 held for so many years, the only work which may claim to rival it is Prof. Comstock's 

 ' Manual for the Study of Insects," which has certainly some very valuable features, and 

 is of course more modern and " up to date," though one may not agree with all the views 

 set forth. I should certainly recommend both these works to everyone entering upon the 

 study of entomology. ' • 



A smaller and much cheaper, but very useful work is Dr. Packard's " Entomology 

 for Beginners." It serves as a general introduction to the science, treating of the " Struc- 

 ture of Insects," " Growth and Metamorphosis of Insects," •' Classification," " Insect 

 Architecture," " Injurious and Beneficial Insects," "Directions for Collecting, Preserving 

 and Rearing Insects," with directions for dissecting insects, cutting and mounting micro- 

 scopic sections of insects, and a list of the most important works on general entomology 

 and the biology of insects, together with a glossary and index. Naturally with so 

 much ground to be covered but little space could be given to the consideration of the different 

 orders, thus only 24 pages are given to a review of the coleoptera, 20 to the diptera. 24 to 

 the lepidoptera, 16 to the hymenoptera and 36 to the other orders. 



To any one wanting a more extended guide for the collecting, rearing and preserva- 

 tion of insects, no better work can be recommended than Dr. Knagg's " Lepidopterist's 

 Guide," which is issued at the moderate price of one shilling, and which though, of course, 

 written for English collectors, will be found very useful by all, as its general directions 

 and suggestions as to treatment are very generally applicable. 



Read before the Montreal Branch of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 8th December, 1396. 



