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In Memoriah : George John Bowles. 

 By F. W. Goding, M.D. 



The recent death of Mr. Bowles has called forth expressions of regret from every 

 quarter, and is considered by all who were so fortunate as to name him among their 

 friends as a national loss. The Council of the Ontario Entomological Society, referring 

 to his death, said : " They have to deplore the loss they have recently sustained by the 

 lamented death of their colleague, Mr. G. J. Bowles, of Montreal, who was for many 

 years an active and zealous member of the Society, an able and efficient worker, and a 

 valued contributor to the magazine and annual reports." 



George John Bowles was born in Quebec, June 14th, 1837, and was the eldest 

 son of Mr. John Bowles, a tradesmen of that city, and his wife Margaret Cochrane ; a 

 worthy couple still living at a ripe age at Brighton, Ontario. 



In 1844 the family removed to Three Rivers, in the Province of Quebec, where they 

 resided for seven years, returning to Quebec in 1851. During this period George received 

 his only school education, finishing it by a course of studj r at the Three Rivers academy. 

 Soon after returning to Quebec he began to earn his own living by entering the Quebec 

 Provident and Savings Bank as clerk, a situation he held for nineteen years, rising at 

 last to the post of assistant cashier. In the early part of this period the advantages of 

 a collegiate education were not available in Quebec for residents, the Morin College being 

 not then in existence, and although the boy's inclinations always lay in that direction, 

 they could not be gratified. He was a great reader, however, and by dint of application 

 amassed an amount of information, Biblical, historical and scientific, which was a " well of 

 pleasure " to him ever afterward. I lis short business hours, and a residence for several 

 years some miles from the city, greatly favored his love of nature ; rambles through the 

 woods in the vicinity soon made him acquainted with the birds, insects and plants to be 

 found there, " and a walk of five miles, almost daily, to town through charming scenery 

 of the old citj r of Quebec, was a pleasant task." 



In 1863 Mr. Bowles began to direct his attention more particularly to entomology. 

 At that time Mr. Win. Couper, a well-known Canadian naturalist, lived in Quebec, and 

 to him Mr. Bowles came for assistance, which was cheerfully given him at all times. 

 The capture of a specimen of Pieris rapae then lately introduced from Europe and 

 begi nning to be abundant about him, was one of the causes which induced him to 

 take up entomology as a specialty. His first contribution to scientific literature was 

 on this subject, and was published the following year. But his scientific studies were 

 directed chiefly by Prof. Wm. Saunders, who gave him every help throughout his ento- 

 mological career. His spare time between the years 1863 and 1872 was spent in collect- 

 ing the Lepidoptera of the vicinity of Quebec, and studying the injurious insects of that 

 locality, publishing carefully prepared papers, chiefly in the Canadian Entomologist, the 

 Canadian Naturalist and Geologist, and the Montreal Horticultural Society's reports. 



In 1872 .Mr. Bowles removed to Montreal to become secretary-treasurer of the 

 British American Bank-note Company, a position he held till his death. Although 

 engaged continuously for more then twenty-five years in business affairs of a most exact- 

 ing nature, he studied during his leisure hours the insects of his native Province of 

 Quebec, and endeavored to advance and popularize our knowledge of them. That he 

 was eminently successful is well-known to all interested in the agriculture of Canada. 

 The principal part of his work was done by private correspondence, which, if collected 

 and published, would be a fitting monument to his industry. 



He was for several years president of the Montreal branch of this Society, holding 

 that position at the time of his death. He was an honored member of the following : — 

 Montreal Natural History Society, Montreal Microscopical Society, American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science, and the New York Entomological Society, to whose 

 meetings he contributed occasional papers. 



Mr. Bowles was married in 1861 to Miss Elizabeth Patterson, orphan daughter o 



