151 



Further search in the vicinity, among the grass and under some 

 loosely-piled stones, resulted in the discovery of three more spe:imens, 

 and subsequently, during an examination of the adjacent trees, which 

 were almost defoliated by the caterpillars of the canker-worm moths, 

 Anisopteryx poinelaria, another specimen was found in a tree evidently on 

 a hunt for these larvae. This local abundance of the beetles was doubtless 

 due to the plentiful supply of food at hard. The catei pillars were con- 

 tinually falling in such numbers that the beetles would not have much 

 occasion to ascend the trees to hunt for them. These devastating caterpil- 

 lars had been almost equally numerous the previous year, especially upon 

 the ashes which grow in the low moist ground under consideration, and 

 Caloso7?ia frigiduin had evidently multiplied more than usua'ly, since it 

 had not previously been found in that neighbourhood. Any member 

 desiring specimens of this handsome beetle is advised to search there 

 for them next June. Two specimens of this beetle were also found in 

 the city during the summer. 



Some of the species of Calosoma are quite arboreal in their habits, 

 searching aloft the larvae upon whose succuleut bodies they feed, but 

 only on one occasion have I seen our common species C. calidum thus 

 engaged. 



On page 85 of this volume mention was made of a dijjterous larva 

 which feeds on the seeds of the so-called Canada thistle, and jf a 

 parasitic C lalcid referred to as a Solenotus. This interesting parasite 

 has been recently re-studied by Mr Ashmead, who finds that it is really 

 a Tetrastichid, and he has described it as Cratcepus Fleicheri (Can. Ent. 

 Vol. XXIV., p. 309). The only other recognized species of the genus 

 is a European one, also reared from a species of thistle. Ti.e fly which 

 thus attacks our thistle heads is widely distributed in Canada, and its 

 parasites will doubtless be found accompanying it. In September, 1888, 

 at Hillsborough, N.B., at the head of the Bay of Fundy, a large propor- 

 tion of the heads had one or more larvae or puparia, and the easily 

 recognized parasite, C. Fleicheri, was abundant. Last September the 

 fly was found to be present at all points examined along the Intercolonial 

 H.ailway in Nova Scotia, and was so abundant at Sydney, C.B., that 

 fully fifty per cent, of the heads were infested. 



|i»«hi I 



