1893-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 8 1 



along the Linville River. He may have seen Limenitis ursu/a, 

 and, not being a lepidopterist, could not distinguish between the 

 two species; however, I know diana is locally common in the 

 region, and how local butterflies can be, is shown by the following: 

 Mr. Mead says " Argynnis cybele is rare, and I saw only a single 

 specimen, which was smaller than the associated aphrodites, al- 

 though cybele is represented by really huge examples in the 

 warmer valleys of Virginia." We found both cybele and aphro- 

 dite, both sexes, in great abundance at Cranberry, and -in many 

 variations as to color, size and markings, some of them the huge 

 examples spoken of by Mr. Mead as being found in Virginia. 

 These two species were the commonest butterflies at Cranberry. 

 We did not find a single species of butterfly not found around 

 Philadelphia, unless we except Pamphila otho, but we even have 

 this in its Northern dress, egeremet. Mr. Meacl, in speaking of 

 his list which is practically the same as ours, says: "The list is 

 noteworthy, chiefly for the absence of nearly all the butterflies 

 characteristic of the latitude, and of many others one would ex- 

 pect to meet in so favorable a mountain region. It is possible 

 that some of these missing species may be found in the early 

 Spring when the mountains are said to be one blaze of color with 

 Azaleas and Rhododendrons and all manner of vernal blossoms. 

 These butterflies may lay their eggs early, so that the larvae may 

 have the whole season to grow, and then disappear; but this is 

 mere conjecture, based on the well attested abundance of early 

 flowers, of gay colors well suited for butterfly fertilization." I 

 have quoted Mr. Mead's remarks in way of explanation of the 

 scarcity of Southern Summer butterflies, as it is very interesting 

 and may be true, as the low temperature in the mountains may 

 be the cause of the retardation of the growth of the caterpillars 

 which he mentions, ' ' so that the larvae may have the whole season 

 to grow." We wore overcoats almost every night and had log 

 fires in the office and parlor of the hotel. The average weekly 

 temperature for July, at Cranberry, ranges from 62 to 66 degrees, 

 and last July the highest point reached by the mercury was July 

 3(1, 84 degrees, with the lowest point during the week being 49 

 degrees. At night, during July, the hi^he.^t point reached \\as 

 60 degrees, and the lowest 47, so that it is quite cool during the 

 day and cold at night. 



There must be something to account for the scarcity of insects 



