Canadian Butterflies, 349 



where they were observed. The precise causes for thisphenomo- 

 non were not investigated, and the time of the year is remarka- 

 ble."* 



In a paper by Prof. J. P. Kirtland, of Ohio, on the Butterflies 

 of that state, this species is noticed as having been introduced into 

 North America from some foreign country. The author states 

 that in some seasons it becomes extremely numerous, while in 

 others the collector of insects will hardly discover a solitary indi- 

 vidual. All the thistle family are eaten by the larva. Even the 

 forbidding Canada thistle I have found in Wisconsin to be strip- 

 ped of leaves by the larva." f , 



Boisduval and Leconte, who describe it as a species of Va- 

 nessa, say that it is not so common in America as in Europe. 

 " Cette Vanesse, tres commune dans toute l'Europe, l'Afrique et 

 les Indes orientales, est beaucoup plus rare en Amerique, quoique 

 du reste elle se trouve dans presque toute l'entendu de ce contin- 

 ent."t 



Mr. Emmons has described it in the Natural History of Few 

 York, but gives no particulars as to its distribution in that state 

 whether abundant or otherwise. He has also figured a caterpillar 

 which does not at all resemble those we have observed at Mon- 

 treal. 



Cynthia huntera (Fabricius). 



At the same time that C. cardui was seen in such abundance be- 

 low the McTavish house, C. huntera was observed in still greater 

 numbers further up the mountain, and west of the monument. 

 Several specimens were also met with on the top of the mountain. 

 Although a diligent search was made, none of the larvae or chry- 

 salides were found. It was, however, most interesting to find these 

 two beautiful species of insects on the same day so numerous in 

 two localities which are only three or four hundred yards apart. 

 This is also an English species, and as Westwood's description 

 agrees exactly with our specimens we shall give it entire. He says 

 "it measures 2| inches in the expanse of the wings, which are of 

 a less twany-orange colour than those of C. cardui ; brown at the 

 base, the orange disk much broken in the fore-wings by blackish 

 irregular bars, the apex blackish with a long white costal spo 



* Westwood's British Butterflies, p. 51. 



t Kirtland on Diurnal Lepidoptera of Northern and Middle Ohio 

 Annals of Science, Vol, 2, p. 13. 

 t Boisduval et Leconte, Vol. 1, p. 179. 



