220 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



bee has shown us how the entomologist, by careful study of this 

 creature's habits, can counteract its operations, and enable us to 

 enjoy some degree of immunity from its ravages. Mr. Billings 

 has explained to us the habits of another insect destroyer, of the 

 genus Monohammus, which it seems can devour in a single sea- 

 son and on a single property, pine timber to the value of £10,000. 

 Dr. Lawson has laid before us the habits of the curious little 

 Aphis, which sometimes swarms in our grain fields ; and has to 

 some extent vindicated it from the charges brought against it, 

 and which more properly lie at the door of the wheat midge. I 

 have myself only been prevented by lack of time from bringing 

 under your notice some sketches of the habits of the Army-worm, 

 and of some other of the more common insect pests, and may com- 

 mend the subject to other observers as a most promising and 

 valuable field of labor. 



A committee of our society has been engaged in promoting 

 measures for the more effectual protection of the smaller insectiv- 

 orous birds, to which has-been assigned by Providence the func- 

 tion of protecting us against insect ravages, and which, as a part 

 of the unpaid police of nature, as well as for their beauty and their 

 song, should be cherished and guarded from harm in every coun- 

 try truly civilized. 



Another Committee has been engaged in the investigation of 

 the causes of the decay of the apple orchards, for which the 

 island of Montreal was once celebrated. Among the principal 

 results of this inquiry, in addition to points well known to gar- 

 deners, may be mentioned the following: — (1) That old varieties 

 of trees necessarily become delicate and unproductive, and should 

 be replaced by new and hardy seedling varieties. (2.) That 

 efforts should be made to supply to the soil the mineral matters 

 required to constitute the ashes of healthy wood, and which in 

 the process of culture become exhausted. (3.) That the habits 

 of injurious insects, fungi, &c, should be carefully studied, and 

 that the birds frequenting orchards should be more effectually 

 protected. 



Other kinds of trees have also attracted our attention, and 

 among these the vine, which, notwithstanding the great success of 

 its culture in vineries, and the zealous efforts of M. DeCourtenay, 

 is not yet extensively cultivated in the open air. Observation and 

 experience have convinced me that wherever, even in Lower 



