Nov., '08] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 403 



During the months of June and August I am at this place 

 from early morning till late at night collecting butterflies and 

 moths. Between nine o'clock in the morning and four in the 

 afternoon is about the best time for this purpose. During these 

 hours I have collected beautiful specimens of Argvimis idalia 

 and aphrodite, Limenitis ursnla, Papilio philcnor, tumns, 

 glaucus and troilns, some of which have an expanse of from 

 four to five inches. One of the finest specimens taken last 

 season was a Papilio glaucus, which had two bright yellow 

 spots on the upper wings and whose lower wings were almost 

 completely yellow like those of turnus. Besides these there 

 are great numbers of others, such as Vanessa antiopa, atalanta, 

 huntcra, cardui, etc. 



In the evening just as it is getting dark, this same place be- 

 comes a regular paradise for a collector of moths, etc. Going 

 in amongst the beds of Phlox, I have caught great numbers of 

 the different species of the Sphinx family ; but these always 

 fly so very fast that it is extremely difficult to get at them with 

 the net, for the slightest noise made by the breaking of a twig 

 or the rustling of a leaf will frighten them, and off they go. 



As soon as night has settled, the larger moths, i. e. Cith- 

 eronia regalis, imperialis, polyphemus, cecropia, cynthi-a, pro- 

 inethea, Actias lima and great numbers of Catocalas, among 

 which are the red, yellow, white and black kinds, begin to fly 

 around the lamps and electric lights of the park, which attract 

 them in so great numbers that the collector is kept busy with 

 his net and jar, until he returns home, weary with a good 

 day's work and the proud possessor of a fine collection for his 

 cabinet. 



Besides this park there is another fine place, called Druid 

 Hill Park. Here I have taken great numbers of Papilio aja.v, 

 Apatura cl\ton, Grapta comma, Tcrias nicippe, Anisota sen- 

 atoria and virgiuicnsis, also many other kinds peculiar to 

 swampy and wooded regions. 



The only difficulty in collecting at this place is the presence 

 of large numbers of copper-head snakes, which make this 

 region very dangerous for a collector, for he has to be very 



