40 THE REPORT OF THE [ No. 19 



ous this year in this locality, and the cabbage and cauliflower crop in many gardens has 

 consequently been considerably damaged by the larvse of this common pest. The cab- 

 bages -were so badly perforated by the caterpillar as to render them unmarketable. I 

 observed also in gardens where no cabbages were grown, that the turnips and radishes 

 were severely attacked by this larva. 



Daring a trip taken through Scarborough and Markham townships in the latter 

 part of July, I visited several farms and found considerable damage had been done to 

 the turnip crop by what appeared to be the larvae of (Noctua C-nigrum). In some fields 

 40 per cent, of the crop had been cue off and the farmers were re-sowing seed in the bare 

 places along the rows that had been destroyed. I did not know the best remedy to 

 recommend to prevent the ravages of this cut worm, but advised them to apply to Dr. 

 J. Fletcher, the Dominion Entomologist at Ottawa, who would give ihem valuable in- 

 formation which would be of great benefit to them in combating the ravages of the insect. 



Around one of the farms I visited there were planted about two-thirds of a mile of 

 European Mountain Ash trees (Pyrus acuparia). These trees were about fifteen years 

 old and were so badly infested with the larvge of the Flat-Headed Apple Tree Borer 

 (Ohrysobothris femorata) that the writer picked from the outer bark of one tree ten 

 young larvse about five-eighths of an inch long, several other trees were examined in the 

 row and found to be in the same condition. Quite a number of the trees had already 

 been killed by this pest. I advised our friend the farmer to pick out as many of the 

 larvae as he could during the months of July and August, after that they would have 

 penetrated into the heart of the tree and consequently could not then be reached. I 

 also told him to paint the trees next spring with a thick solution of soft soap and wash- 

 ing soda before the beetle oviposits so that the young larvae will have difficulty in pene- 

 trating the bark. The ravagps of this beetle seem to be confined more particularly to the 

 trunk of the tree ; from the ground up to the first branch. I found no evidence of larvae 

 above the first branch in any case. 



The Spruce Gall-louse (Chermes abietis) does not appear to be so abundant in this 

 locality as formerly. 



Division No. 4. — Hamilton District — By James Johnston, Bartonville. 



Want of time during the past season has prevented me from doing but very little 

 insect collecting so that my brief report is mostly made up from my obse:.'vations on the 

 farm during my daily occupations. 



During May and most of June cut worms were very troublesome, being more numer- 

 ous than I have ever known them to have been. Systena blanda, Mels (the pale-stripped 

 Flea-beetle) has been quite numerous. Eight years ago when I first noticed these little 

 beetles, they eeemed to confine themselves almost entirely to rag-weed, but each year 

 since then they appear to ba taking to other plants as food, and now they may be consid- 

 ered destructive to turnips, pumpkins and strawberries. Last season a few choice pump- 

 kin seeds were planted and in the course of a short time when I went to see how they 

 were doing I found the plants thickly covered with these beetles making them, appear as 

 if sprinkled with ashes, and, on my approaching, they all vanished, being very quick. 



July 22Qd, Orioceris 12 punctatus, Lin. made its first appearance in our asparagus 

 patch when I took seven specimens. As the season advanced they increased in number 

 so tha'i I fear by next season it will be reckoned amongst our already too numerous gar- 

 den enemies. 



Aug. 17th, Colias eurytheme, Bd. In crossing the clover meadow where C. philo- 

 dice was very numerous I noticed this orauge-colored beauty which I secured with my 

 sun-hat after a hard chase. It is a beautiful large specimen which is of double interest 

 to me as it is the first of the species I have taken, and differs from those in my cabinet 

 by having the front half of the fore wings a pale yellow. 



Aug. 30th, Nonagria subfiava, Gr. This is the third specimen of what is, as far as I 

 can learn, a rare insect during my years of collecting. 1 took it in the house having 

 been attracted by the light in the kitchen. 



Aug. 31st, Catocala nebuloea, Guen (1 spec.) and C. Eobinsonii, Gr. (2 spec). 



