58 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May 



bracken fern. He also reported that a species of Agrilus had 

 re>"ently become a serious enemy to the birch. A white birch tree 

 near his house had been killed apparently by this insect, but as the 

 beetles emerged during- his absence he had obtained no specimens. 

 Mr. Harrington thought it might be A. obsoletoegiittatus^ of which 

 both sexes had been taken upon birch. Some discussion followed 

 as to the duration of the larval stage of Buprestidae and on 

 retarded development in these and. other insects, due to deficient 

 heat, moisture or food, or to causes not yet understood. Mr. 

 Young showed a hawk-moth, Cressonia juglandis, and described a 

 curious crepuscular flight of the males, which he had observed at 

 Meach Lake : the moths flying too and fro across a patch of 

 smooth water and repeatedly dipping the tip of the abdomen in 

 the water. He also showed Thecla Icsia, a little blue butterfly, new 

 to the Ottawa list, and which is a well known cotton pest in the 

 Southern States. Dr. Fletcher exhibited, as a really rare insect, 

 the fine moth Hepialiis thule. This species was described from a 

 specimen taken some years ago at Montreal, and so far it has not 

 occurred elsewhere. It is stated to fly only between 8 and 9 

 o'clock, p.m., during the brief period of its winged existence. Dr. 

 Fletcher also read some extracts from proofs sheets of the 

 Entomological Record for 1903 (Rept. Ent Soc. Ont.), which 

 indicated that entomologists, especially in the Western provinces, 

 had made many good captures during the year and had largely 

 added to our knowledge of Canadian insects. Mr. Gibson said 

 that in 1991 eggs of a then undescribed arctian moth had been 

 received from Mr. Cockle of Kaslo. Last year similar eggs had 

 again been received and the moths had been bred. Dr. Dyarhad 

 also bred the species at Kalso and had named it Diacrisia kasloa. 

 Inflated larvae, pupae and five imagos were exhibited. 



W. H. H. (Sec.) 



MEETING OF THE BOTANICAL BRANCH. 



The first meeting in the new year was held at the residence of 

 Mr. A. E Attwood on January 7th. Those present were Dr. J. 

 Fletcher, Prof. J. Macoun, Dr. C. Guillett, Mr. E. R. Cameron, 

 Mr. W. T. Macoun, Mr. R. B. Whyte, Mr. J. M. Macoun, Mr. 

 D. A. Campbell and Mr. Robert Hamilton. 



