PR0CEEDINC4S, 1921 41 



moths were very scarce during their annual flight during July this year, 

 where in previous years hundreds were on the wing. 



The larva of the Bud worm has various methods of defence against 

 predators and parasites, two especially being noticeable. Firstly, from 

 their nest at the branch tips for;iied by the drawn together needles, the 

 larva drops like a plummet on the jarring of the branch and conceals 

 itself amongst the foliage of the branch below, or secondly, in the 

 event of a close approach when the insect is out feeding, it retracts into 

 its cell with great rapidity. This latter move being probably of much 

 use in escaping from some hovering parasite. There is no doubt that 

 the more open nature of the forest in British Columbia than in New 

 lirunswick is conducive to a greater bird population and is the missing 

 factor in the natural control of this pest in eastern forests, where in 

 the gloom of the balsam woods, birds are less plentiful. 



Another insect of some interest met with in this zone and the next 

 was a species of stone cricket (Cyphoderris monstrosus). Our evening 

 meal being over, the chores done, we would be sitting over the camp 

 fire when as du.sk fell, a high pitched churring would be heard from 

 the neigh!)ouring trees. To locate the maker of this vespertine music 

 was a difficult task, as it was very nearly dark before it commenced, and 

 was one of those curious sounds of all pervading intensity, and appar- 

 ently ventriloquial. With much perseverance we at length located one 

 of the musicians resting lengthwise on a branch. Very careful approach 

 was necessary to effect capture, as they would simply drop to the 

 ground and be lost in the gloom of the gathering night. Some two 

 dozen specimens were captured during the summer, and the exact 

 economy of this nocturnal serenade is not clear, as no females were 

 encountered, though careful search was made. 



Insects are only toleralily abundant in this zone, being much less 

 so than in the open flower slopes around 5,000 ft., but there were quite 

 a few micros on the wing and large robber-flies were frequent ; one 

 being netted with a rare noctuid in his talons, quite uninjured and now 

 in the collection of Mr. A. W. Hanham. 



After 3,700 ft. altitude is reached, more boreal conditions become 

 evident. Our plant association alters once more and we are in the 

 Hudsonian area. Of trees, the Douglas Fir still persists but others 

 appear, the mountain representatives of our lowland conifers, namely, 

 spruce (Picea engelmanni, balsam (Abies lasiocarpa), hemlock (Tsuga 

 mertensiana), and two pines (Pinus contorta and albicaulis). The 

 mountain juniper (Juniperus sibirica), rhododenron (Rhododendron 

 albiflorum), and Devil's Club (Fatsia horrida) also occur. These form 

 rather dense growth in the draws but on the ridges they give way to the 

 flower slopes that in July are, I think I am safe in saying, unmatched in 

 North America for beauty to the artist and for interest to the ento- 

 mologist. Here herbs are at their zenith and a riot of colour is provided 



