animal food as grubs, and entirely upon vegetables in their perfect state. Again, some, 

 as the large Silkworm Moths, are very voracious as caterpillars, but when they reach the 

 perfect state have the mouth parts undeveloped, and take no food. By finding out their 

 habits in all the different stages we are enabled to attack them at their most vulnerable 

 points. The one great object of the Entomological Society of Ontario is to gather 

 together all possible information concerning injurious insects, and, whenever anything is 

 discovered which it is thought may be useful to keep them in check, to publish it abroad 

 and make it known as widely as possible. Nobly assisted by the Provincial 

 Government we have now carried on our investigations for over twenty years. Through 

 the medium of our annual reports to the Minister, which he includes in his report of 

 the Agriculture and Arts Department, and also by means of the Canadian Entomologist, 

 the monthly organ of the Society, a large amount of useful knowledge has been distri- 

 buted amongst those most likely to benefit from it. I take pleasure in publicly making 

 the announcement that the members of our Society wish it to be known that they hold 

 whatever knowledge they have acquired entirely at the service of any one who may apply 

 to them, and they will always be glad to answer questions and give advice concerning 

 injurious and beneficial insects. Arrangements have been made during the present 

 meeting to issue regularly in every number of the Canadian Entomologist, after list 

 January next, at least one article upon economic or popular entomology. These will 

 be prepared especially for those who are not entomologists, but who wish to learn some- 

 thing about the science ; or for those who have not time nor perhaps inclination to take 

 up entomology as a study, but who require simple and plainly-expressed information 

 concerning the common pests which attack farm and garden crops. 



Notwithstanding the large amount of injury annually due to the attacks of insects, 

 and the enormous hosts of these creatures, the actual number of different kinds which 

 must be classed as " first-class pests " is comparatively small. Of many of these the 

 life-histories have already been worked out and remedies have been discovered, so that, 

 with reference to most of the common crop insects, the farmer can now, for the trouble 

 of asking for it, obtain advice which will enable him to stop or mitigate all the ordinary 

 attacks to which his crops are ■ liable. When a growing crop is observed to be 

 attacked, the first thing to be done is to discover, if possible, the nature of the 

 enemy. It is at this point that the value of knowing the life-histories of the common 

 crop pests is made manifest, nay, is even indispensable, or much valuable time may be 

 lost by the adoption of improper methods of prevention. It is sometimes possible t© 

 prevent serious loss by prompt action. This is particularly the case with those insects 

 which are less active or more vulnerable during their preparatory stages than when they 

 have reached their perfect form. A fact which is probably known to all of you present, 

 but which cannot be too often repeated, is that the lives of all insects are divided up 

 into four well marked periods or stages, during each of which their habits may be 

 widely different. These stages are : 



1. The egg, during which no injury can be done. 



2. The caterpillar, during which stage, as a rule, the largest amount of the injury is 

 perpetrated, as, indeed, the very name indicates. The word caterpillar means " food- 

 pillager," a title, the application of which, I think, few will contest the propriety. 

 (Fig. l s a). 



3. The chrysalis or pupa stage, in which, in most of the orders, the insect remains 

 quiet and takes no food. (Fig. 1, b). 



4. The perfect insect. (Fig. 1, c). 



Some insects are injurious in all their stages after they leave the egg ; but most of 

 them only in the caterpillar form, or as caterpillar and perfect insect. Their habits, as 

 I have said, vary greatly in the different orders, and there are, too, a great many orders, 

 families, and species. Notwithstanding this, it will be found that the amount of know- 

 f$dge necessary, for one who has not made a special study of entomology, to secure good 

 results in combating their ravages, is neither extensive nor difficult to obtain. In apply- 



