390 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 



Donacia cincticornis Newm. A so-called variety of this species 

 is found on the leaves of the yellow pond lily (Nuphar) in the 

 coves of the lake at Monmouth, and it is also the common species 

 of the lilies in the sluggish, winding streams of tiie meadow lands. 

 It is a broad, depressed insect of a dark, violet-l)lue colour. They 

 fly from one lily leaf to another when disturbed, keeping so close 

 to the water that they are very hard to net; the\' also delay the 

 start until the net has passed over them. In the open lake, if 

 the boat is allowed to drift broadside across a patch of lilies when 

 the waves are high, one can see this species shining like balls of 

 quicksiKer as they cling to the submerged pads, sometimes a foot 

 beneath the water. 



Donacia suhtilis Kunze. This species is less common but is 

 found in tlu- sheltered coves of the lakes resting on the stems 

 of the water grasses. I have taken them in the hand by leaning 

 over the bow of the boat. Dates are June 21 to 25. 



Donacia paJmala Oliw A very few specimens of this species 

 have been taken at Monmouth, June 21 to 29. 



Donacia torosa Lee. A series of a supposedly undescribed 

 species which was swept from the grass of a wet meadow at Wales 

 has turned out to be typical specimens of this form. It has been 

 supposed to be a \ariety of distincta, but I think it will finally be 

 given full rank. It is of a uniform dark blue or, as given in the 

 description, blackish-violet colour. Dates are June 16, 1907, 

 and June 13. 1909. 



Ilaltica bimarginata Sa\'. This well-known species appeared 

 in such numbers on a small area of Alnus sprouts at Monmouth 

 that I was curious to know how many could be taken. I selected 

 two bunches of the bushes about three feet high, and swept them 

 with six strokes of the net. In bottling the catch several escaped, 

 but there remained 596 individuals. This do6s not quite equal 

 the record of 600 odd specimens of Pliyllolreta sinuata which were 

 taken at one sweep from a bunch of Cnicijera at Framingham, 

 Mass. 



Eiipsalis miniita Drury. One specimen of this species was 

 taken on a red oak log in the mill yard, and a pair of them was once 

 found industriously boring holes in a log of the same kind in the 

 deep woods at Wales, July 23, 1908. 



