December, '11] britton: vacation notes 545 



of grasshoppers, the most abundant species seemingly being Camnula 

 pellucida Scudd. 



Collecting in this region was especially poor because of the extreme 

 drought, which was the most severe in the memory of the oldest 

 residents. In the Lepidoptera, the Mourning Cloak, Euvanessa anti- 

 opa Linn, and the Compton Tortoise Gropta j-album Boisdv. & Lee, 

 Hadena arctica Boisdv. and Epizeuxis luhricalis Geyer were very com- 

 mon in the pine woods around the cabins. The imported cabbage 

 butterfly Pontia (Pieris) rapa: Linn, and P. napi Linn, were both rather 

 abundant. Polygonia faunus Edw. and P. progne Cram, flitted about 

 the cabin among the pine trees, and a few specimens were taken. 

 The rarest capture, perhaps, was a perfect female specimen of Plusia 

 halluca Geyer, which was brought to me one day by the landlady, who 

 found it in the house. I afterwards found a fresh wing of the same 

 species at the foot of a large pine, showing that tragedies occur in 

 entomology. 



Five specimens of Caripeta angusliorata Walk, and one of C. divisata 

 Walk, were taken, and amongst the lot are several small geometrids, 

 some of which have not yet been identified. Few noctuids were 

 collected. 



In the Diptera, which were mostly common species, there was a 

 single example each of Dasyllis posticata Say and Psilocephala rufi- 

 ventris Loew. 



In the Coleoptera Leptura canadensis Oliv. was common flying 

 about in the pine woods, and Typocerus velutinus Oliv. was a])undant 

 on flowers of Spiriva salicifolia. One example of Cicindela longilabris 

 Say was captured. One specimen each oi Buprestis maculiventris Say, 

 Corymhites ceripennis Kirby, and a female specimen of Odontceus ohe- 

 sus LeC, the latter originally described from California, were kindly 

 identified for me by Mr. C. A. Frost. 



A number of interesting insects in other orders were also collected, 

 but many of these are still undetermined. 



Elm Leaf Beetle (Galerucella luteola Mull.). This pest has been excessively 

 abundant and destructive the past season on Long Island, throughout the Hudson 

 valley and in other sections of the state where it has become established. The 

 elms in many villages were so seriously affected that practically all the leaves were 

 destroyed by midsummer. This serious injury also occurred on groups of elms or 

 even roadside trees in the country. It is undoubtedly true that the damage was 

 greatly accentuated by drought, yet it seems very probable that automobiles and 

 trolley cars have been important factors in distributing an otherwise local though 

 very prolific insect and, as a consequence, are indirectly responsible. 



E. P. Felt. 



