78 



Some 50 or 60 species of flies have been collected, but tlie majority are 

 yet unnamed, while to arrive at a correct knowledge of their habits and 

 metamorphoses will require a vast amount of study and of original 

 investigation in the future. As an example of the curious forms often 

 met with in this order may be mentioned the peculiar little Hammer- 

 headed fly, Sphyracephala hrevicornis, taken on Parliament Hill, 14th 

 Oct., and in Stewarton on 9th Nov. 



CoLEOPTEKA. — This order, always a favourite with entomologists, 

 from the compai'ative ease with wbicli its specimens can be collected aud 

 preserved, has had the most attention bestowed upon it. Over 800 

 species have been collected, but work hitherto has been chiefly confined 

 to families found upon plants — especially such as are injurious thereto — 

 and the numerous water and ground beetles are i)oorly represented in 

 our collections. It will require much systematic collecting to arrive at 

 a fair knowledge of our numerous species of Carabidce, Df/tiscidce, etc. 



Last season especial attention was given to our hickory and 

 butternut trees. A grove of these trees near Hull was visited by Mr. 

 Harrington at intervals throughout the season, and the trees were found 

 to suffer much from insects of various orders. Among the beetles 

 captured were Bicerca lurida, Chrysohothris femorata, Anthaxia 

 viridicornis, A. vividifrons, Agrilus egemis, Dorcheschema nigrum, Goes 

 occulatus, Goes j^ulverulentus, Saperda discoidea, Gaurotes cyanipennis, 

 Glytus erythocephalus, Leptostylus macula, Hyperplatys adspersus, 

 Ghariessa pilosa, Magdalis barbita, Fseudomtis truncatus, and Acoptus 

 suturalis. Several of the species had not previously been taken by him, 

 though they seemed to be vex*y abundant, as, for instance, Dorcheschema 

 nigrum and Dicerca lurida. The sumacs growing abundantly in and 

 around this grove also yielded when in flower numerous specimens of 

 some of the same species and of other Cerambycida^ etc., the majority of 

 which had probably been bred from the neighbouring trees. 



The following are the dates of occurrence of a few species : — Saperda 

 Candida, Hull, 12th July, on Service-berry ; Saperda mutica, Fairy 

 Lake, 16th July, on willow ; Glycobius speciosus, taken 20th July by 

 M. Ami, \this is not common here ; our maples a})parently do not sufi'er 

 much from it) ; Pcecilinota cyanipes, Hemlock Lake, 22iid July, on 

 willow ; Desmocei-us jxdliatus, Lover's Walk and Rideau Hall, 20th-31st 



