PROCEEDINGS, 1919 5 



THE LYC^NIN^ OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 



By E. H. Blackmore, Victoria, 'B.C. 



At our annual meetings during the past five years I have given 

 either one or two papers each year, relating to the Geometridae of this 

 Piovince. During that time I have been quietly but effectively work- 

 ing on a new Check List of British Columbia Lepidoptera. Up to the 

 present time I have worked out 95 per cent, of the Rhopalocera, 75 per 

 cent, of the Noctuidse, and 90 per cent, of the Geometridae. 



In the course of my studies I have found a great many errors which 

 have existed for a number of years. Some of them very palpable, others 

 which could not be avoided, as later research work by specialists has 

 only recently given us a proper understanding of some of our species, 

 and even now many of the names are really only tentative, as much 

 work still remains to be done in completing the life-histories of many 

 of our species and geographical races. Long series of adults from 

 certain localities are necessary for purposes of comparison — certain 

 species and forms must be bred from the egg, and larval notes taken at 

 each successive moult, before we can really determine the status of all 

 of our species. 



The butterflies of British Columbia comprise six different families, 

 in none of which are the misidentifications more numerous than the one 

 I have chosen as the title of this paper. 



Before taking up the different species, I think that it would be as 

 well to give a few general characteristics of this family in its different 

 stages. 



Egg. The eggs are for the most part flattened or turban shaped, 

 curiously and beautifully adorned with ridges and reticulations. 



Larva. The caterpillars present a very unusual form, being more 

 or less slug-shaped. The body is short and broad ; the legs and pro-legs 

 are short and small, allowing the body to be closely pressed to the 

 object upon which it is moving; in fact, some of the species glide rather 

 than creep. They are vegetable feeders, with the exception of one 

 species, viz., Feniseca tarquinius Fabr. This species occurs in the 

 Atlantic States and is aphidivorous, feeding on the woolly lice of the 

 alder. One or two of the species are remarkable for having honey tubes 

 which can be pushed out from the seventh and eighth abdominal seg- 

 ments and through which honey dew is extracted for the use of ants. 



Chrysalis. The chrysalids are short, compressed and without 

 angulations, attached at the caudal extremity and having a loop of silk 

 passing round the body near its middle. They are generally closely 

 fastened to the surface upon which pupation takes place. 



Imago. All the butterflies of this family are small and are of deli- 

 cate structure. The antennae are nearly always ringed with white and 

 a conspicuous rim of white scales encircle the eyes. There is exceeding 



