142 



the latter being especially liable to their attacks in walking through 

 the long grass, where they abounded. 



The flora of the prairie was not nearly so varied as in mountain 

 regions, owing to the periodical fires caused by lightning ; all species, 

 whether of plants or insects, thus had a very hard struggle for exist- 

 ence. On one occasion I noticed a prairie hen and chickens which 

 were exceedingly tame, no doubt trusting to the long and thick grass 

 which was everywhere. In fact it was found impossible to success- 

 fully grow any introduced species of grass more than the second 

 year, the struggle with the native species being so severe. The hay 

 frorp the native grass was very good, so that it was not really neces- 

 sary to introduce new kinds. 



During a long drive I was much deceived by a mirage, and was 

 told that it was a very common occurrence, and by the people not 

 considered worthy of remark. On one occasion the sunlight was 

 obscured by a very dark cloud, and streams of lightning appeared 

 so incessantly as to render it possible to read, but it was unaccom- 

 panied by thunder. 



At Montreal I saw the collection of a gentlemen, who said that 

 entomologists in Canada ignored political boundaries, and took 

 physical areas as a rule. Most people were engaged in money- 

 making, and consequently naturalists were few and far between. 



