( ix ) 



instead of two very handsome — speciiueus ol' that local form or subspecies 

 of Platijsamia Columbia which is peculiar to the prairies of the Canadian 

 North- West, and which has verj' recently been named Platysamia Columbia 

 nokomis by ray friend Mr. Brodie, of Toronto, in accordance with the 

 trinomial system of nomenclature so general across the Atlantic. 



" I have brought up for exhibition specimens of Eleagiius argentea. 

 It will be observed that the leaves are of a very peculiar pale silvery green 

 colour, quite unlike that of the leaves of most other shrubs. I have also 

 brought for exhibition a coloured drawing of the full-grown larva of the 

 insect, made by my friend Mr. E. E. T. Seton, of Toronto. It is observable 

 that the colour of the larva exactly corresponds during life with that of the 

 leaves of the food-plant; and, as these themselves are of an unusual colour, 

 I think it may be regarded as an obvious case of naturally protective 

 colouring." 



" The total length of the larva is nearly three inches. The head is 

 yellow, with a few small black spots ; there are also four black spots on 

 the first segment of the body. The first three segments bear yellow clasping 

 legs ; the next segment none ; the next four bore slightly hairy legs of a 

 light yellowish colour ; the next segment none ; and the last segment a pair 

 of yellow legs. The body bore many small protuberances, of different kinds, 

 covered with small black spikes. A row of spines ran down each side of 

 the back. These rows were about one-fourth of an inch apart. Along each 

 side of the body, and separated by the space of about one-fourth of an inch, 

 ran two more rows of spines, the pair on the tail segment showing a brighter 

 blue than the rest. Below this row again there were spines on the first 

 five segments." 



Mr. Christy also exhibited a twig of Betula glandulosa, and made the 

 following remarks thereon : — 



" Among the many curious and interesting facts which have of late been 

 brought to light in connection with the relationship between insects and 

 flowers, those cases of error on the part of insects — as when a bee has been 

 momentarily attracted by an artificial flower — which have occasionally been 

 recorded certainly deserve some attention ; and I desire therefoi-e to bring 

 under your notice an apparent instance of the kind which has come under 

 my own notice. 



" On the 7th August, 1883, as I was crossing a very extensive swamp, 

 covered with trees of spruce and tamarac, lying on the banks of Pine 

 Creek, Manitoba, I observed a butterfly, either belonging to, or closely 

 allied to, Papilio asterias, fluttering over the bushes, evidently in search of 

 flowers. As I watched it, it settled momentarily, and exactly as if it had 

 mistaken it for a yellow flower, on a twig of Betula glandulosa, Mich., 

 bearing withered leaves of a light yellow colour. This identical twig I now 







