318 Miscellaneous; ^ 



rosy ; the body, autenuse, &c., as in other species of the genus. 

 The female differs from the male in the following manner : — Gene- 

 ral colour slightly paler ; the black band of the fore-wings is not 

 so well defined, browner, and interrupted by a series of yellow 

 spots ; the corresponding band on the hind Avings is almost obso- 

 lete, and underneath these wiogs are of a dirty yellow colour 

 instead of being fineorange as in the male. 



The caterpillar is stated to be green, with yellow lines and black 

 dots, and feeds on the various trefoils ; we have never seen it. 



This butterfly is one of our most abundant species. In September 

 we have seen more than twenty pitched at the same time on a 

 bush of Michaelmas daisy, and in some parts of Canada the fields 

 look almost yellow with their dancing forms. It is fond of pitch- 

 ing in muddy spots on roads, sometimes assembling in such places 

 in considerable numbers. It is much more numerous at Sorel 

 than about Montreal, but is very generally distributed over the 

 whole of North America. It appears at the beginning of June, 

 and having several broods during the season, worn individuals 

 linger on to the end of October, even to the confines of our 

 desolate winter. 



Note. — Since writing tlie above, we have taken near Laprairie a 

 curious variety of the female Golias Philodice. It is only about half the 

 usual size, and the ground colour of the wings is dirty white, with 

 scarcely any tinge of yellow. The marginal black band on the anterior 

 wings is very broad, but pale and unbroken by yellow spots. The cen- 

 tral discoidal spot on the underside of the posterior wings has three 

 pupils — the third rather indistinct. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Obituaky. — In our last number we had the melancholy duty 

 of announcing the death of Mr. W. C. Eedfield, the meteorolo- 

 gist ; and before another month had elapsed, two more men 

 from the ranks of science, highly esteemed for their excellence of 

 character as well as successful labors, had passed away, — Prof. 

 Bailey of West Point, and Prof. Tuomey of Alabama. 



Prof. Bailey had long been failing under a relentless consump- 

 tion, and finally died on Thursday, the 26th of February last. 

 For many months his voice had been reduced to a whisper ; yet 



