1910J The Ottawa Naturalist 41 



Mr. Criddle exhibited a box of rare Manitoban lepidoptera, 

 all taken at Avv-eme. Among these was an interesting Sphinx 

 which had recently been determined as a variety of S. goniius. 

 The form had a conspicuous blackish band near the outside 

 margin of the primaries, and showed other differences from 

 eastern specimens of goniius. Mr. Criddle hopes by getting 

 eggs of the form and studying the larvae to decide whether it 

 really is a variety of the above named species. Other specimens 

 of interest in the box were: Polia aedon, Maniesira scapularis, 

 Xylina fieicheri and Tapinostola variana. The latter species, 

 although identified by Dr. J. B. Smith, looked different from 

 other examples also named by Dr. Smith, from the east. Mr. 

 Criddle will try and get other specimens for study. 



Mr. Gibson spoke of a recent -visit he had made to the home 

 of Mr. J. D. Evans, a well known entomologist, at Trenton, Ont. 

 He described in brief the nature of Mr. Evans' collections, and 

 of the perfect order of the arrangement and most of the speci- 

 mens. The collection of coleoptera is a particularly rich one, 

 containing manv very rare species. Mr. Gibson also showed a 

 box containing an interesting series of the Arctiid moth, Pkrag- 

 niaiobia assimilans, var. jranconia. These had been reared from 

 larvae sent by Mr. Horace Dawson, of Hymers, Ont. The species 

 is an tmcommon one and notes on its life-history will soon be 

 published. 



A. G. 



EXCURSIONS. 



The first excursion of 1910 was held at Rockcliffe on Satur- 

 day, 16th April, when about a dozen members spent the afternoon 

 in gathering specimens representing the different branches of 

 the Club's work. At five o'clock the parties met, and under the 

 direction of Mr. Andrew Halkett, the president, exhibited and 

 discussed the material collected. Miss A. L. Matthews referred 

 to nature study from the poet's point of view and briefly showed 

 by quotations how Burns, Wordsworth and Tennyson had gone 

 to nature for their best inspirations. 



Mr. Groh, reporting on the afternoon's work in botany, 

 exhibited about fifteen plants already in flower, as follows: 

 Hepatica, acutiloha and triloba, Spring Beauty, Blue Cohosh, Wild 

 Ginger, Dutchman's Breeches, a low sedge, and, among shrubs 

 and ti:ees;the hazelnut, "pussy" willow, aspen, red maple. 

 American elm and white cedar. Shepherdia canadensis in full 

 flower was also collected by the party. Mr. Groh called attention 

 to the fact that many of the trees blooming at this early date 



