Our society really owes its origin to an enthusiastic interest in entomology on the part of two young men who were beginning a study of insects shortly after the middle of the last century, and to the support and encouragement given them by a college professor who himself had a non-professional interest in entomology. These two young men were Charles James Stewart Bethune and William Saunders. The former was to become headmaster of Trinity College School and later head of the Department of Entomology and Zoology at the Ontario Agricultural College.

Looking back to my earliest entomological recollections, I am struck with the number of noted entomologists that came to London to visit my father. Among the earliest of these was Augustus R. Grote, a rather dapper man of perhaps forty-five years, who visited us on several occasions. Another noted visitor was C. V. Riley who had an official position at Washington.

The lateness of the hour will prevent my taking time to add to Professor Baker's admirable history many personal recollections of the founders of the Society and of its early activities. Dr. W. E. Saunders, the secretary for a number of years, and I belong to the second generation of active members; however for a period of fifteen or more years we were associated with the pioneers who well and truly laid the foundation of the Society.

Charles James Stewart Bethune was born on his maternal grandfather's farm in West Flamboro Township, Upper Canada, on August 12th, 1838. He was the son of the Rev. Alexander Neil Bethune, second Bishop of Toronto.

One day during the summer of 1873, five ardent entomologists resident in the city of Montreal were separately engaged in collecting specimens of their favourite orders on the woody slopes of Mount Royal, in those days far removed from the city itself. Meeting in the course of their rambles, these amateurs joined together to pursue their hobby, and in this way the formation of a Montreal branch of the Entomological Society of Ontario was discussed and finally arranged.

The Entomological Society of British Columbia was founded January 8th, 1902, by a small but ardent group of entomologists living in the environs of Vancouver and Victoria. The original document of organization came to the writer's hand only a year ago from Mr. W. Downes of Victoria, who in turn received it from Mr. Francis Kermode, Director of the Provincial Museum. It was found among some old papers of the museum.