1901 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



snow and ice in these places remain in the woods sometimes as late as June and in early summer 

 the place is still very wet. Later on, however, it dries up and the rock is exposed or is very- 

 near the surface almost everywhere. 



The soil on this peninsula is very scanty and on the low places near the shore the plants and 

 insects are very few in number of species. The Professor said that the tlora resembled that cf 

 Anticosti, but I did not notice much that was remarkable about the insects. A peculiar little 

 Catocala was perhaps the most interesting thing taken. It is closely allied to G. antinympha^ 

 if, indeed, it be not a variety of that species, from which it differs in the much lighter and more^ 

 distinctly marked fore wings. 



Among the Orthoptera Podisma variegata, two long-winged males of Melanoplus fasciatusy. 

 a form of very rare occurrence, M. islandicus and Scudderia pldillata are perhaps noteworthy.. 

 The first named is a very interesting Acridian of the group Melanopli and belongs to an alpine^ 

 and northern genus, being the only American species which is not alpine. Like many alpine^ 

 insects it is perfectly apterous and is closely allied to P. glacialis of the White Mountains and 

 Northern Ontario. I have also taken it at Lake Simcoe. It inhabits cool swamps, especially 

 peatbogs. Sciidderia pistillata, which was found not uncommonly on the peninsula and at 

 Southampton, is our one characteristically northern Locustid. It was exceedingly abundant era- 

 one of the small islands. 



Before leaving the subject of this locality there is one fact concerning it which is worthy of 

 remark, and this, though a botanical one, would probably influence the insects too. Many" 

 flowers common to this region and southern Ontario (notably Point Pelee and Sarnia) were iia 

 bloom or going to seed at a time when the same plants in the south were in bud or only just 

 beginning to bloom. Now, this state of afiairs at first seems very extraordinary when we re- 

 member that the snow remains so late here and the climate is decidedly colder than in the south. 

 The explanation lies in the fact that the plants are growing over limestone, which absorbs more- 

 heat than any other rock , and much more than the ordinary soil. 



After our return to Southampton we spent a few more days there and then drove to Owert 

 Sound, where the limestone forms a bold escarpment overlooking the city and oflers new condi- 

 tions to the collector of both plants and insects. Deep crevices extend far into the rock andl 

 from above one can look down these, often forty feet. Some rare ferns are found here, but E 

 got but little that was of interest to the entomologist, though I fancy a coleopterist cr»uld have- 

 taken plenty of interesting thirgs. 



Another locality at Owen Sound which the collector should not overlook is the PatteiraoiB 

 House Park, the property of Mr. Matthews, the proprietor of the Pattei-son House, wMeR is- 

 one of the chief hotels at Owen Sound. The park is several miles long and follows a jravinOy 

 along the bottom of which a small creek runs. The woods are in a primitive condition and some 

 of the trees, notably the cedars, are of enormous size. The chief thing of interest that I found 

 there were specimens of Ccdopteryx maculata, a beautiful dragon-fly which, though very common 

 in June, usually disappears late in July, my specimens having been taken on the last day of 

 August, an unusually late date. The luxuriance and beauty of this ravine would, I am sure,, 

 make it an admirable collecting ground. 



Owen Sound was the last spot visited by the writer before returning to Toronto, so that the 

 trip was practically taken up in following the shores of Lake Erie arid Huron from Point Pelee 

 to Owen Sound 



In conclusion I should like to emphasize one point in connection with the collection of 

 specimens on a trip such as the one which has been the subject of this sketch. Most collectors^ 

 as far as I have observed, look for those species only which are wanting in their collections or- 

 which are rare or otherwise' interesting. This is a great mistake. Every species in the group 

 which the collector is studying should be noted down in a book kept for that purpose, and if 



