THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 237 



PYRAMEIS CARDUI. 

 Sir, — Never since I first came to this country in 1893 have I seen 

 any species of butterfly in such abundance as Pyrameis cardui is at the 

 present time. During 1893, 1894 and 1895 I don't think I saw a single 

 specimen, though these years seemed particularly favourable to most 

 species. For the past year or two it has been rather common, and I 

 have frequently found the larva on thistle during June. Locally-bred 

 specimens were rather more common than usual last fall, and I he same 

 brood (presumably) appeared here with early spring. On May 12th I 

 remarked upon their scarcity, and supposed they had died off, but for the 

 last week they have been getting gradually more numerous, and to-day 

 their numbers appear to have suddenly doubled, if not trebled. I believe 

 I could net a thousand in a day without much difficulty. They do not 

 seem to be travelling in any particular direction, but are evidently a 

 " flight," probably from the South. I have watched the °- $ settling on 

 a variety of seedling plants, presumably ovipositing, and in one instance 

 found an egg on sage, and apparently no thistles near. 



May 25, 1 901. F. H. Wolley Dod, Calgary, Alberta. 



BOOK NOTICES. 



Monograph of the Sesiid/e of America, North of Mexico. — By 

 William Beutenmiiller. Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural 

 History, New York. Vol. I., Part vi., pp. 215-352. March, 1901. 

 (Price, $5.) 



In this sumptuous quarto the author has brought together in complete 

 form the results of his studies of the Clear-winged Moths of North America. 

 In arrangement, style and completeness, the work leaves nothing to be 

 desired. The family is divided into 17 genera, each of which is fully 

 characterized and illustrated by a drawing showing the head, hind leg, 

 venation, and in some cases the anal appendages, of a typical species. 

 With each species is given a very full bibliography as well as descriptions 

 of both sexes and the larva, when known, followed by general notes 

 mentioning resemblances to other species, particulars regarding habits, 

 food-plants, distribution, etc. There are also synopses of genera and 

 species, larval food-habits and of the described larvae, rendering the work 

 easily available for reference and the identification of species. The work 



