Cjje Canadian (SntomoIogbL 



VOL. X. LONDON, ONT., DECEMBER, 1878. No. 12 



NOTES ON A WINTER HOLIDAY. 



BY THE EDITOR. 



During a recent holiday, while on a trip South, we spent a day among 

 the Entomologists at Albany, N. V. To say that it was a pleasant day. an 

 exceedingly enjoyable day, would convey but a faint idea of the pleasures 

 there in store for us. Arriving early in the morning, we made our way to 

 the State Museum of Natural History, where we found three veteran 

 Entomologists conspiring to make our brief stay a memorable one. Under 

 the guidance of Messrs. Lintner, Meske and Hill, we were soon enrap- 

 tured by the sight of the countless rarities contained in the collections of 

 Lepidoptera made by those gentlemen in this vicinity. We have seen 

 many collections in the course of our wanderings, but for multiplicity of 

 species, full series of rarities and matchless perfection of individual speci- 

 mens, it had never before been our pleasure to witness anything that 

 would compare with the valued stores contained in the cabinets of these 

 enthusiastic collectors at Albany ; and without fear of contradiction, it 

 may be said that the Entomologists resident there have contributed more 

 towards our knowledge of the Lepidoptera native to the northern portions 

 of America than any other equal number of collectors in the country. 

 The enthusiasm they have long maintained and their indomitable perse- 

 verance have enabled them to overcome almost every obstacle and accu- 

 mulate such wonderful series of specimens, especially by night captures at 

 sugar, as no less favored Entomologist could look over without feelings 

 almost akin to envy. After one had seen scores upon scores of indi- 

 viduals of some rare Noctuid, which in one's own collection had perhaps 

 long been represented by a treasured fragment, the question would fre- 

 quently rise as to whether anything in this line be rare in the neighbor- 

 hood of Albany, 



