8 



THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



an enlarged black streak or blotch ; this, when closely examined, is found 



Fig. 5. 



to be a small excrescence ; it is found only in the male, and by this 

 peculiarity the sexes may be readily distinguished. 



We have frequently seen this butterfly in great numbers on pine trees 

 which have been infested by aphis, attracted there no doubt by the sweet 

 exudations which flow from the bodies of the aphis, thus interfering with 

 the rights and privileges which have always been accorded to the indus- 

 trious ant. They also have the fashion of congregating at times, late in 

 the season, in prodigious swarms consisting of tens of thousands or 

 hundreds of thousands of individuals. In September, 187 1, we met with 

 a swarm of this character on' the shore of Lake Erie. They hung in 

 clusters everywhere on a group of trees which they completely covered ; as 

 many as thirty-two individuals were counted on a space of the size of 

 ones' two hands, and their total numbers we thought might safely be 

 estimated by millions. No satisfactory reason has yet been assigned for 

 such gatherings. 



SOME REMARKS ON CHANGES IN NAMES OF 

 CERTAIN BUTTERFLIES. 



BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA. 



Papilio Asterias. Now sought to be changed to Polyxc?ies, although 

 from the time of Fabricius to the publication of Kirby's Catalogue (187 1), 

 no other name than asterias has been in use. The species has been 

 repeatedly figured as asterias in these hundred years, and under this name 

 is well known to everyone who takes the least interest in these things. 



