174 Journal New York Entomological Society. t^'°i- xxx. 



the sunlight required by the low growing birch. This was further 

 demonstrated in the thicket where the birch was an important and 

 vigorous element and the oaks and maples still small. The remainder 

 of the trees consisted of scattered specimens of oaks, sour gums, 

 hickories, etc., including a few sickly chestnuts (Castanea dentata). 

 This species was formerly a conspicuous member in the tree flora 

 but it has been almost entirely eliminated by the bark disease En- 

 do thia parasitica. 



The shrubs included the viburnums with Viburnum dcntatitm as the 

 most frequent; the spice bush {Bcnaoin crstivale) ; large clumps of 

 elder (Sawbiicits canadensis) and in the more open places dense 

 thickets of green briar (Sntilax rotundifolia). Several species of 

 Rubus with a scattering of other genera made up the remainder of 

 the shrubs. 



The herbaceous flora was distributed over a series beginning with 

 a very rich and conspicuous vernal flora followed by a straggling 

 succession that was marked by few important species. Before the 

 trees expanded their leaves enough to form much shade, the floor of 

 the woods was covered with a carpet of showy spring plants. These 

 included the wood anemone (Anemone quinque folia), spring beauty 

 (Clayfonia virginica), Indian Turnip (Arisccma trifolium), several 

 violets among which Viola papilionacea was prominent, early crow- 

 foot (RannncnUis fascicidaris) in the wet places and vast areas cov- 

 ered with May apple {Podophyllum pcUafum) and the fawn lily 

 (Erythronium amcricaniiin). In the more open spots the wild cranes- 

 bill (Geranium maculotum) was found. The other half of the flora 

 included a great number of species of which over half belonged to 

 the Liliales and the Ranunculales. 



This vernal flora gradually ripened and disappeared as the leaf 

 canopy of the trees reached its early summer density. Large patches 

 of poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron) and Virginia creeper (Psedera 

 quinqucfolia), sometimes intermingled, covered much of the forest 

 floor. In the dense shade neither species showed any tendency to 

 climb. The moist spots were covered with the spotted touch-me-not 

 (Impatiens biflora). In mid-summer, water hemlock (Cicuta macu- 

 lata) was conspicuous on account of its white umbels. In late sum- 

 mer rattlesnake root (Prenanthes alba) became the most conspicuous 

 species. The other plants making up the post-vernal flora were not 



