52 B.C. Entojiological Society. 



gokleu yellow and is found at a low altitude having a southern exposure on the 

 banks of Kasio Creek. They congregate in millions, and ^vhen at the heiglit of 

 tlieir emergence completely cover several square yards of snow, turning it to a golden 

 patch. They exist only a few days, and, unlike their black brothers, die in the 

 rivulets of water running off the melted snow. How and when they breed is 

 unknown, and how the.v contri\-e to reach the surface of the snow from a depth 

 of 2 or more feet is also wrapped in mystery. I have been unable to devise any 

 suggestion of the whys and wherefores of their presence. I have in my collection 

 .specimens of four species of this genus, the golden one only being named, a black 

 species found on melting snow, a smaller blacli species which breed in hotbeds, a 

 white species found under a flower-pot in the house. None of these are yet identified. 



We next come to a larger insect of the genus Podnra. These may be also 

 collected on the winter snows when the temperature is near freezing. They are 

 very active, and when disturbed spring away several inches and wriggle themselves 

 into any crevasses in the snow. They are about 0.0.!> mm. in length and dark grey 

 to black in colour. 



But possibly the most interesting find of a snow collecting trip ai'e the snow- 

 fleas proper of the family Borcus. They may be seen on freshly fallen snow, usually 

 singly, and resemble minute grasshoppers. Tliey are presumed to share the 

 characteristics of the order to which they belong and to be carnivorous in their 

 habits. The late Dr. James Fletcher suggested that they probably fed on the genus 

 ApJiorni-a and Podnra, but of this we have no evidence. Their leaping-powers 

 are great, and I have often observed one jump 6 inches. Their usual mode of 

 locomotion, however, is by walking. The most curious fact about them is that 

 they are so little affected by cold. They will walk around when the temperature 

 is several degrees below freezing, although they are most active when the mercury 

 rises to 35-40 degrees. 



In the Canadian Entolnolof/ist for March, 1908, I published a short paper on 

 the peculiar mating habits of this insect, and more recently I prepared another 

 article which more fully describes the extraordinary method of copulation, which 

 I now take pleasure of presenting to this meeting of our Society. I have in my 

 collection two species of these insects, B. calffornious and another species which 

 can only be identified from fresh specimens? The latter has a brown stigmatal 

 fold, the wing-coverts black, and the species generally is more hairy. The 

 difference in the colour of the stigmatal fold disappears after drying, so that the 

 disparity cannot be cited as applicable to cabinet specimens. 



I have many specimens of Diptera and other orders of flies whicli I have 

 collected during the winter and have recorded. The capture of Tortricids, Tineids, 

 and Chrysopha found under the bark of drj' standing trees during the winter 

 months, and as a systematic collector I am inclined to treasure my winter captures 

 rather than the profusion of forms which are to be found everywhere in the 

 summer. 



THE MATING OF BOREUS CALIFORNICUS. 



By J. W. Cockle, Kaslo, B.C. 



Whilst on the 'hunt for snow-inseots to-day, February 9th, and having been 

 successful in securing several specimens of Borcus. I was returning home when I 

 discovered a pair in copulation. The temperature, which had been below freezing 

 all day, had .inst risen, and at the time was about .S.T° Fahr. It is well to state 

 here that I have found these curious Insects hopping about on the snow when the 

 thermometer showed several degrees of frost, but they are usually most active 

 just after a snow-storm, when the temperature is from 35-40 degrees. Wishing 

 to know how copulation was possible witli these curiously formed insects, I lay down 

 on the snow in order to be able to use the small pocket-lens for observation. The 

 female was perched on the back of the male, her front legs folded up so that she 



