38 



ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB OF THE AMERI- 

 CAN ASSOCIATION FOE THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



The annual gathering of the Entomologists of North America in connection -with the 

 meeting of the A. A. A. S. took place this year in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. While 

 much regret was felt at the absence of many eminent Entomologists who have always 

 taken an active part in the work of the Club, and at the consequent smallness of attend- 

 ance the meeting was much enjoyed by those who were present, and the valuable papers 

 read were received with great interest. 



The first session was held at 9 a.m. in a class-room of the Central High School 

 Building on "Wednesday, August, 15th, the President, Mr. John B. Smith, of Washing- 

 ton, in the chair. In the absence of the Secretary (Prof. A. J. Cook, of the Agricultural 

 College, Michigan), Prof. Herbert Osborn, of Ames, Iowa, was requested to act in his 

 place. Owing to the smallness of the attendance the Club adjourned till 1.15 p.m., when 

 the President read his annual address on " Entomological Collections in the United 

 States." In this interesting and valuable paper, which, as well as the other papers read 

 at the meetings of the Club, will, we understand, be published in Entomologica Ameri- 

 cana, the writer gave an account of all the great collections, both public and private, in 

 the United States. Among general collections he especially mentioned those of Mr. 

 Bolter, of Chicago, and Mr. Henry Edwards, of New York ; in Coleoptera he specified the 

 collection of Dr. Horn, of Philadelphia, Mr. Ulke, of Washington, and Messrs. Hubbard 

 and Schwarz, and Lieut. Casey; in Lepidoptera those of Messrs. Henry Edwards, Neu- 

 mogen, Strecker, Graef, Tepper, Holland, W. H. Edwards, Lintner, Bailey and Meske ; 

 in special departments of Lepidoptera, in butterflies, those of Mr. W. H. Edwards, Be v. 

 Dr. Holland and Mr. Bruce; in the Hesperidre, that of Mr. E. N. Aaron, of Philadelphia; 

 in the Sphingidse, that of Mr. E. Corning, of Albany; in the Geometridze, that of the 

 Rev. G. D. Hulst, of Brooklyn ; and in the Tortricidre that of Prof. Fernald, of Amherst, 

 Mass. He also noticed many other collections in various orders, for which we must refer 

 the reader to the address itself. 



After hearing the address the meeting adjourned till the next day. The following 

 persons were in attendance during the sessions: John B. Smith, Washington, D.C. ; 

 Prof. H. Osborn, Ames, Iowa ; Prof. F. M. Webster, Lafayette, Ind. ; Dr. D. S. Kelli- 

 cott, Buffalo, N.Y.; Mr. and Mrs. O. S. Westcott, Chicago; L. 0. Howard, Washington; 

 J. Mackenzie, Toronto ; A. B. Mackay, Agricultural College, Miss. ; D. A. Robertson, 

 St. Paul ; S. H. Peabody, Champaign, 111. ; Dr. 0. V. Riley, Washington ; S. B. McMil- 

 lan, Signal, Ohio ; Rev. L. C. Wurtele and Miss Wurtele, Acton Vale, P.Q., and others. 



The Entomological Society of Ontario was represented by its President, Mr. J. 

 Fletcher, of Ottawa, and the Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, of Port Hope. 



On Thursday, August 16th, the Club met at 1 p.m., and entered upon the considera- 

 tion of the President's address ; this naturally led to a discussion upon the best materials 

 for boxes, etc., in which to preserve collections. Mr. Howard stated that the boxes in 

 the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., had their bottoms made of 

 Italian poplar. Mr. Fletcher asked for the experience of members with poplar, tulip-tree 

 and other woods as regards cracking and splitting. Dr. Riley said that there was no 

 wood that would not split, warp or crack ; the only remedy was to have the materials 

 kiln-dried and then soaked in shellac and alcohol. He adopted the form of boxes used in 

 Washington for the sake of convenience rather than otherwise. The cabinets in Europe 

 were not subjected to the same dry heat as in America, and were consequently not a guide 

 to us in this respect. 



Mr. Fletcher stated that there are only 'two noteworthy collections of insects in 

 Canada: (1) That of the Entomological Society of Ontario at London ; it is not very 

 large, but is very good as representative of the Canadian fauna, while it contains many 

 specimens from the United States and other countries. The collection of Lepidoptera is 

 especially good and well named, having been revised by Mr. Grote before it was sent to 

 the Philadelphia Exhibition in 1876. In Coleoptera and other orders great care has been 

 taken to have the specimens well named. The collection is open to any one who desires 

 to examine it. (2) The collection of Lepidoptera in the National Museum at Ottawa is 



