94 THE REPORT OF THE [19 



smoothed with a natural cement. The doors of these habitations are wonderfully fitted 

 and hinged, and close with their own weight. 



Of the Wolf or Hunting Spiders the " Tarantula," Lycosa tarantula apulice, is a 

 famous example. It abounds in the neighbourhood of Taranto (the ancient Tarentum) 

 and Naples. In colour it is grey, and it has six angular black patches on the back of its 

 abdomen. It is not a very large spider, being only a little over an inch in length. It 

 hides in holes in the ground and under stones ; and the barefooted Italians are sometimes 

 bitten by it. When a case of this sort occurs, the fiddler — not the doctor — is sent for ; and 

 the patient is kept dancing until utterly exhausted. After a brief rest he is aroused for 

 another dance. And the exercise is renewed at intervals until the spider virus is supposed 

 to have been eliminated. 



There are some long-legged creatures that are commonly known as " Daddy Longlf gs " 

 or " Harvest Spiders." They are not true spiders — they belong to the Phalangiidse. 

 They have two eyes, one on each side of a sort of turret on the head. Their bodies are 

 small and oval, and their eight legs are disproportionately loDg. They are useful creatures, 

 feeding upon plant- lice and other insects, and, as# far as I know, are quite harmless. 

 Our commonest species are Phalangium cinereum, the ash-grey harvest spider and Liobunum 

 vittatum, the striped harvest spider. Their eggs are laid in the ground, arcl the young 

 come forth in the spring. 



The naturalist who would collect spiders should carry a wide-mouthed bottle contain- 

 ing " whisky blanc." Into this he should drop the specimens as he finds them. He could 

 afterwards place them separately in the same liquor, and in bottles of suitable size and 

 form. The name of each specimen identified should be pasted on the bottom of the bottle. 

 For classification the specimens might be placed in small racks — each family in a separate 

 rack, and each genus in a separate row. 



NOTES ON INSECTS OF THE YEAR— DIVISION I., OTTAWA DISTRICT. 

 By W. Hague Harrington, F.R.S.C, Ottawa. 



My time was unfortunately so fully occupied during the season of insect depreda- 

 tions that my observations were very limited, and in consequence my notes are few and 

 brief. 



Grains and Grasses. — I did not hear of any insect attacks on wheat ; neither was 

 the Grain Aphis (Siphonophora avence) observed. The grasshoppers also were much less 

 numerous than during the past year or two, possibly due to the unusual continuance of 

 wet weather in midsummer. There was some Silver-top in oM hay fields, caused 

 probably by Thrips poaphagus, although Prof. Osborne has suggested that a large pro- 

 portion of the injury known as Silver- top is due to the attacks of certain minute bugs. 



Roots and Vegetables. — Cutworms continue to be troublesome, the commonest 

 species being the Red-backed Cutworm (Carneades ochrogaster Gn.) The ravages of 

 these very destructive grubs could be greatly lessened by a careful use of the traps men- 

 tioned last year and which are strongly recommended by Dr. Fletcher in his valuable 

 reports. Such traps are formed by dipping bundles of weeds, grass or clover in a strong 

 mixture of Paris-green and water, or by slightly damping bran and mixing thoroughly 

 with it a little of the poisonous powder. Turnips did not appear to suffer much from 

 the Striped Flea-beetle (Phyllotreta striolata) usually so destructive, nor from aphides, 

 but towards the end of August they were pretty severely attacked by the White Cabbage 

 Butterfly (Pieris rapes) and by the diamond backed moth (Plutella cruciferarum). Onion, 

 Cabbage and Radish maggots (Phorbia) were not quite as bad as last year, but still 

 inflicted considerable loss. The White Cabbage Butterfly also considerably infested 

 cabbages. 



Peas and Clover. — A few peas have been found injured by the Pea Weev 

 ( Bruchus pisi) but the insect is very rare in this district which is outside its usual limits 



