212 



The Ottawa Naturalist. 



| February 



gathered on the sunny side of the trees and basked in the warmth 

 of the sun till between eight and nine o'clock, when they suddenly 

 determined to set about their day s work, or whatever they were 

 in quest of, for they began to flit about in all directions and in 

 such numbers that the air seemed full of them. During the after- 

 noon they did not appear so plentiful. 



1 cannot recall the exact date when they first made their 

 appearance in such large numbers, but it must have been about 

 August 20th, and they remained for probably ten days. To give a 

 better idea of the great number in this swarm, I may say that they 

 appeared in equally large numbers over a distance of twelve miles, 

 to my knowledge, and how much more I cannot say. 



They seemed to settle down whenever night overtook them, 

 if in an open field among the grass or grain, and if in a bush they 

 gathered as close together as they could get on tree or shrub. 

 They seemed, I think, to /* 



prefer the elm trees to any 

 others, for there appeared to 

 to be far more on them than 

 on any other kinds. 



There had been odd indi- 

 viduals of these butterflies 

 flying about as early as a 

 month before the coming of 

 the main bodv and odd ones 

 remained behind for pro- 

 bably a month longer; but 

 the great swarm came sud- 

 denly one day and disappeared with equal suddenness. They 

 seemed a sleek and well conditioned host and looked as though 

 they fared well, but what they lived on I cannot say. 



During the early morning one could go out and gather them in 

 any quantity, but as soon as they were on the wing they would 

 ead one a merry chase. 



The weather during the time of the swarm was fine, bright 

 and warm, with southerly and westerly winds prevailing. 



The district they visited was along the base of the Pembina 

 range of hills. 



