48 TBE REPORT OF THE [ No. 19 



tains and confirms the general opinion on the subject. Take these which are referred to 

 by Mr. Tutt : 



Saunders, Port Stanley, September Ist. 



Scudder, New Hampshire, do 2nd. 



Peabody, Wisconsin, do first week in. 



Dr. Hamilton, New Jersey, do do do 



Mundt, Illinois, do 7th. 



Anonymous, Ohio and Indiana, September 19fch and 20th. 



Dr. Ellzey, Maryland, do 23rd and 25th. 



Dr. Neal, Texas, October 4th and 6th. 



Dr. Thaxter, Florida, being without date, may be placed anywhere between Ist 

 November and last of February ; whilst he is reported in another place as having said, 

 " that he had found Archippus wintering along the Gulf of Mexico in immense numbers." 

 "Which taken in connection with the fact that there is not enough of their foodplant 

 there, to produce a tithe of them, is strong presumptive evidence that those there seen 

 had come from the north, where we know they are bred in countless numbers. That 

 many of the travellers will perish by the way is what is to be expected, but that the bulk 

 of one of these swarms could not complete the journey from their northern limit to the 

 Atlantic coast, is not to be thought of in connection with a butterfly that has succeeded 

 in reaching a land 2000 miles across the ocean from the American continent. 



In reference to Mr. Bowles's observation. Can. Ent vol. 12, p. 134, which was a valu- 

 able addition to our information of its habits at that time, but proves nothing, except 

 that the butterfly is a wanderer and liable to be overtaken by a storm and perish, whilst 

 in the act of crossing our great lakes ; I have seen specimens of it that were thrown up 

 with the drift on the north shore of Lake Erie. I have seen the west shore of Long 

 Point strewed for miles with their wrecks after a storm. And I have picked up some of 

 them, apparently dead, placed them in the sunshine and seen them revive and fly away. 

 These were bright fresh specimens of that season's production. But that any of them had 

 fallen into the lake from exhaustion by long continued flight, I would say for that butter- 

 fly ; never ! Its mode of flight is so easy and graceful, that it looks as if it could remain 

 on the wing indefinitely without tiring ; it indicates amusement rather than labour. It 

 never appears to be in a hurry ; unless it has got a fright, and then, racehorse speed is 

 slightly suggestive. Daring oviposition, the female gives one the impression of her being 

 intent on business ; and moving from place to place with great speed ; but her progress 

 is made in long sweeping curves, with scarcely a flutter of the winga, which does not sug- 

 gest exertion. It has a dexterous way of using a strong breeze to help it along. I have 

 seen one go up the side of a two-storey house and over the roof without a flap of its 

 wings. All it required to do, was to set itself at the proper angle and the wind did the 

 rest. Even when they have started out upon their long journey southward, those near 

 the ground do not reserve their strength by refraining from amusement. With many a 

 sweep and swirl they are up and down, here and there and all around, yet never allowing 

 themselves to fall behind the steadily advancing stream. Mr. Alexander of Her 

 Majesty's Customs Department, Hamilton, informed me that on one occaaion he was 

 crossing Lake Erie from the American tide, and that they sailed for hours through a 

 flock of Archippus going in the opposite direction ; and when the steamer reached Port 

 Dover the butterflies were still going out over the lake. And from his description of 

 their behaviour on the water, it corresponded exactly with what I have so often seen 

 upon land ; some high in the air, others skimming over the surface of the lake, or dott- 

 ing the space between, whilst many found tiaae to come on board, and investigate the 

 mysteries of the deck. 



As to its "continuous-brooded habit," I have never seen the slightest indication of 

 such a thing in Ontario. From the time that freshly emerged specimens appear in July, to 

 the time they depart in autumn, they never show the least regard for each other sexually. 

 So marked is this feature of their conduct daring that time, that it was asserted by some, 

 that those great gatherings of them were composed entirely of one sex, but this was soon 

 proved to be not the case : yet it brings to view how much that peculiarity attracted 

 attention. Dr. Scudder claims " that no Anosia Archippus born northward ever lays 

 eggs the same season;" and I am quite prepared to believe it. On one occasion I 

 obtained a chrysalis of that butterfly in the latter part of October, which matured by the 



