54 B.C. ExToiioLOincAL Society. 



oecui'i-etl I was able to fully observe the transjiareut male organ. I am not aware 

 liow far the mode of holding the female uia.v be practised by other insects having 

 a like structure to this, but this record can stand as to what extraordinary use the 

 wings may be put and their adaptability for the purpose for which they were 

 created. 



February 27th. I went out to-day on a special hunt for Borcus, armed with 

 vials of ether and alcohol. The first pair I discovered I dropped into the vial of 

 ether, but they separated instantly. The second pair I decided to try to freeze, 

 so lifted them and transferred them to a box of snow. The male released his 

 wing-hold and ran around with the female in au upright jwsitiou, holding only by 

 the daspers. The female made no effort to extend her legs, but kept them in the 

 previously described position, folded close to the body. The male made repeated 

 efforts to regain his wing-hold by jerking the abdomen upward, thus throwing the 

 female forward within reach of his wings, which snapped together at every such 

 effort. I left them quiet in the box of snow and the male soon regained his wing- 

 hold. I'pon my jiouriug a little ether on the snow and closing the box in the hope 

 of reducing the temperature to a sutliciently low degree to render them comatose, 

 the male again released his wing-hold. It seemed thus impossible to kill them in 

 the desired position. I transferred them to the vial of ether. I think the female 

 can release herself even at the instant of death, and it remains yet to be seen if 

 I can succeed in freezing them in the desired position by the aid of a freezing 

 mixture applied outside to the liox in which they are enclosed. 



INSECTS COLLECTED IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY, 1913. 



By E. M. Andkrson, rRoviNciAL Museum, Victori.\. 



Early in April, accompanied by an assistaut, Mr. C. B. Garrett, I was detailed 

 by the Department to collect birds and mammals for the Provincial Museum, 

 Victoria. B.C. Although my work was chiefl.v confined to collecting and preserving 

 birds and mammals, we managed to secure about 4.000 entomological specimen.s. 

 A large number of very interesting forms of insect-life fell to the net, many 

 specimens still awaiting identification, mostly in Coleoptera, Hymeuoptera, and 

 Diptera. 



From my point of view, the Oknnagan Valley offers to the entomologist one 'of 

 the best collecting-grounds in British Columbia, and I feel certain that, \\ith a 

 season's s.vstematie research, an enthusiastic student would add n)any species to 

 the British Columbia list, which is far from being complete. 



The 'weather during the early part of April was very unsettled, still keeping 

 cold and wet, and nothing much in the insect line could be found save a few 

 beetles, crickets, and a small scorpion under bark. After collecting a week at 

 Penticton, we moved camp south sixteen miles to Shuttleworth Creek, a distance 

 of about two miles from Okanagan Falls. On arrival at the creek things began 

 to look brighter, the smi was shining, and we observed a number of insects on the 

 wing. Here we camped from April l.^itb to 20tb, taking at intervals a series of 

 the early blue Cyaniri.i mgresceiis,_ Incisalia eryphon and /. iroldes, Pontia sisyinhii. 

 P. occidentali'i, Synchla: crensa. Ansonidcs. and Sara, the beautiful orange-tip. A 

 few Xoctua were collected at light, the nights still keeping cool ; nothing but au 

 occasional Xi/loniinen simplci; or common Geometer, made their appearance. 

 Drasieria rrasfiiiiscula and Leptnrciia cnllfnrniata were common about the camp 

 on sunny days. 



On April 20th we moved camp to Schoonover Cabin. ,an old trap]ier's home in 

 the mountains at an elevation of about 3..500 feet. With an early start, accom- 

 panied by Charlie Shuttleworth and two pack-horses, we started on our way up 

 the mountain-side through a drizzling rain, which shortly afterwards turned into 

 sleet and snow, this making travel slow over the slippery mountain-trail. We 

 travelled about five hours, arriving at the cabin about 1 p.m. The hor.ses, tired 

 out, were immediately luipacked, a camp-fire made, and after a meal of hot coffee 



