1899] ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 101 



where no attempt was made to get rid of them. . In the winter the egg-bracelets may be 

 cut off and destroyed, and in early spring the tents, or webs, can easily be seen in the 

 forks of small branches when the tender leaves are expanding and can be removed without 

 much difficulty. By adopting these means, the writer cleared his garden almost completely, 

 a few stray caterpillars only escaping destruction. 



The only other general outbreak of the year was that of various species of Aphides 

 (plant lice), which have been swarming in myriads for several seasons now and attacking 

 a large number of cultivated plants. The long continued drouth in the summer, combined 

 with some very hot weather, reduced their number considerably and caused them to be 

 much less troublesome in the autumn. During the two preceding seasons in October and 

 November the air on sunny days was filled with infinite numbers of the winged specimens 

 to the great annoyance -of everyone out of doors, but this year, though numerous enough, 

 they did not cause the same amount of discomfort and we may infer that they are not 

 likely to be so abundant and destructive next year. 



Every gardener and fruit grower^has some insect or other to complain of ; our famil 

 iar enemies are always at work, cut-worms, caterpillars, potato-beetles, codling worms, 

 grasshoppers, curculios, slugs, sawflies, flea-beetles, and hosts besides, but there has been 

 no one kind in more than ordinary abundance or requiring more vigilant measures for 

 prevention than usual. 



Among other insects — those that do no injury to cultivated plants — may be mentioned 

 the handsome Archippus butterfly. Last year it was unusually scarce,? but this year it 

 swarmed all over the country, in cities and towns as well as in the rural districts. Even 

 the most indifferent could not fail to be struck with the great numbers of these beautiful 

 creatures which float so majestically in the summer air. Their curious practice of assem- 

 bling in large numbers in the evening and roosting together was noticed by many ob- 

 servers. Night after night the writer observed them flying singly in rapid succession up 

 the hill on which his garden stood, and, after a little soaring about, gathering together 

 on the dead branches of some trees close to the house. Here they would huddle together 

 in great numbers till the bough looked as if clothed with brown leaves of a triangular 

 shape. If disturbed they would flatter about for a few minutes and then settle down 

 again on the same or a neighboring twig. The late arrivals usually caused much commo- 

 tion by trying to force their way in where there was no room for them. This singular 

 proceeding lasted for many nights and was watched with great interest. When darkness 

 came on they could easily be picked ofl with one's fingers without causing any alarm 

 amongst those close by. In the early morning they were all off again on their individual 

 duties or pleasures, and showed no desire for the companionship of others till the fading 

 light of day caused them to look for a sleeping-place. The phenomenon is a singular 

 one and not easily to be explained. 



Another handsome butterfly, Papilio Marcellus, was seen again at Port Hope this 

 summer. As this makes the fourth year of its appearance in the same locality, we may 

 infer that it has succeeded in making a permanent residence there, though in very 

 limited numbers at present. 



In August last, the Editor of the " Mattawa Tribune " sent to the writer for identi- 

 fication, a caterpillar, which changed to a chrysalis before it arrived at its destination. 

 It proved to be the Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio Tumus). About the middle of November, 

 there emerged from the chrysalis, which had been kept in a warm room, instead of the 

 expected butterfly, a large ichneumon fly, Trogus fulvipes, Oresson. This is rather a 

 rare species, our common parasite of the Papilios being Trogus exesorius, Brulle, and is 

 reported from the Province of Quebec, Maine and New Hampshire. It is almost entirely 

 black with smoky wings, the lip, knees, tibia and tarsi being yellow. 



The locust trees in and about Port Hope have been for some years severely attacked 

 by the grubs of the well-known boring beetle, Gyllene robinice, and a large proportion of 

 the smaller trees have been killed by them. In the case of older trees, branches and limbs 

 are so much perforated that they break off when violent storms occur, bub the tree 

 itself does not usually succumb. Another enemy is now, however, at work boring 

 into the solid wood, and it is not likely that even the largest trees will long be able 



