40 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE MACRO-LEPIDOPTERA OF 



ALBERTA, N.-W. T. 



BY F. H. WOLLEY DOD, CALGARY. 



Calgary (altitude 3,400 ft.) is strictly a prairie city, situate at the 

 junction of the Bow and Elbow rivers, about 40 or 50 miles from the true 

 base of the Rocky Mountains. For several hundred miles to the east, the 

 prairie is, with the exception of a few spots on river bottoms, absolutely 

 void of either timber or scrub. A very few miles to the west the country 

 becomes decidedly hilly, and in places densely covered with dwarf 

 willows. Still further west the hills increase in height, shrubs become 

 proportionately more abundant, and several species of poplars make 

 their appearance, the north and west sides of the hills being usually 

 densely wooded. By far the greater portion of the material from which 

 this list has been compiled has been taken by myself and Mr. A. Hudson 

 during the past seven seasons amongst these hills (3,600-4,000 ft.) near 

 the head of Pine Creek, about sixteen miles to the south-west of Calgary. 

 This " hill-prairie," as I will call it, and which may be looked upon as the 

 boundary between the prairie and the foothills, is well watered by 

 numerous creeks, and the valleys and hillsides — where not too steep — are 

 largely grazed and cultivated, but otherwise splendid hunting grounds for 

 the entomologist. Another favourite hunting ground, and one which has 

 yielded many species not occurring nearer home, is about twelve miles 

 further west, near Mr. Billings's lumber mill. Here the poplars have given 

 place to spruce, fir, and pine ; shrubless spots outside the timber are 

 scarce, and swamps abound. Here, in short, commence the actual 

 Rocky Mountain foothills. Had I had leisure to explore these foothills 

 more thoroughly, I have no doubt my list would have been largely 

 augmented. Two entomological trips have been made further into the 

 hills to the south-west, to Mr. Lineham's lower log camp, on the south 

 fork of Sheep Creek. On the first of these expeditions Mr. Hudson was 

 successful in discovering several species of butterflies not seen elsewhere, 

 but during the second, when I accompanied him, all the elements seemed 

 combined against us. 



From the end of October till nearly the end of April there is 

 practically no outdoor work for the entomologist in this district. With 

 the first few days of spring good work may be done after dark at sallow 

 blossoms, provided the thermometer is a few degrees above freezing 

 point. Almost before sallows have ceased to be attractive, Erebia 



