310 Canadian Buttetjlies. 



gre^t question. That the Parthenogenesis occupies an import- 

 ant office in the economy of natui-e we can already perceive, but 

 how it comes to pass that the ova and ovula are developed with- 

 out the aid of the male principle, and what means are employed 

 to make a sexual reproduction, under such anomalous circum- 

 stances, possible, is one of those riddles, the solution of which is 

 reserved for future investio-ation. 



ART. XXVII. — Description of four Species of Canadian 

 Butterflies. 



Having in our last number expressed an opinion that P. troilus 

 was probablv an inhabitant of the more southern portions of these 

 Provinces, we were much gratified by receiving a specimen of that 

 species from D. W. Beadle, Esq., of St. Catherines, Canada West. 

 As it is therefore now proved to be a Canadian species, we sub- 

 join a figure and description of it, "We shall be greatly obliged 

 if other entomologists follow Mr. Beadle's example, and forward 

 us specimens of sueh species as may come xmder their notice, and 

 which we may overlook in the course of our futm-e papers on the 

 Canadian Lepidoptera, together with such imormation regarding 

 their larva, pupjK, food-plants, habitats, seasons, «fec., as our cor- 

 respondents can furnish, and if required we shall be happy to 

 return the specimens, and defray the cost of conveyance. We 

 would also be glad of any useful and accurate obsenations on the 

 Natural History of those species which we describe, and we es- 

 pecially desire notices of their occurrence in different localities, 

 and whether common or rare. If Canadian Lepidopterists will re- 

 spond to this appeal, we shall then have data upon which to found 

 a more precise knowledge of the distribution of the various spe- 

 cies ; this is at present very vague, such words as Xorth America, 

 Canada, United States, Arc, being employed in most scientific 

 works to indicate the locahties, A catalogue of all the Canadian 

 L-epidoptera is a great desideratum, and numerous zealous observ- 

 ers, in different parts of the country, willing to communicate their 

 observations, are the only means by which we can ever hope to 

 arrive at such a much-to-be-wished for result. 



Hitherto we have given figures of each of the species, but in 

 future we shall engrave only one in each genus, except when cir- 

 cumstances render it advisable to figure more, and we shall 



