98 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



but it does not even fit it decently, as it makes no mention of the black 

 spots on the wings of that specimen. 



I did not, as suggested, transpose the designating letters of the types 

 or choose them to fit in with any theory. I accepted them as used by 

 Grote & Robinson (Vide Can. Ent., XXXII. , 123), and it must be 

 remembered that these gentlemen made their examination of the 

 specimens in Walker's presence, and presumably in consultation with him 

 and with his sanction, and it is hardly conceivable that Walker would 

 have called the two female types (a) and (b) and the male one (c). The 

 missing type b, a $ , as described by G. & R., must have come about as 

 near to the description as the Virgi?iica does. 



Under these circumstances, I think it will be generally conceded that 

 the name Congrua should stand. 



Perhaps I have devoted too much space to this question, but I think 

 that the correct application of one specific name is quite as important as 

 that of any other. 



NOTES ON THE OCCURRENCE OF LEPIDOPTERA, ETC., 



IN SOUTHERN MANITOBA. 



BY E. FIRMSTONE HEATH, CARTWRIGHT, MAN. 



A greater contrast between the last two seasons — those of 1899 and 

 1900 — could hardly have obtained. The spring of 1899 was unusually 

 wet, and the consequence was that the Manitoban prairie flea took refuge 

 in our houses out of the rain, and life became almost unendurable between 

 the armies of fleas inside and the clouds of mosquitoes without. So bad 

 were the latter that, seasoned as I am to their attacks, all my night 

 collecting was done under difficulties, for after covering myself as far as 

 possible (rather a nuisance on a hot, close night), I had to bathe every 

 square inch of skin that had of necessity to be exposed, with a strong 

 solution of alum. This last year, through the unusually dry spring 

 and early summer, to be bitten by a mosquito was quite an event. The 

 fleas too took advantage of the fine, dry weather, and resumed their usual 

 prairie life, and left us in our houses in peace. It may not be generally 

 known, but some parts of the country swarm with fleas, while in others 

 they are hardly to be found. In the olden days, before the railways, 

 when we had to fetch our supplies from the nearest towns — Emerson, in 

 my case — by waggon, camping on the prairie as we went along, I was 

 several times cautioned by old settlers on no account to camp on certain 



