50 Thirty-seventh AnnruAX Bepokt of the 



larval food-plant is said by Mr. Glover to be hawthorn {Cratcegus), 

 but in this and in both previous instances in which the butterfly has 

 been observed by me, it has been associated with alders (Ahius species), 

 and where the hawthorn was not seen to occur. 



An interesting illustration of the abundance at times and in certain 

 localities of a particular species of insect, conjoined with the absence 

 of other allied and perhaps more common forms, was given me at this 

 locality. With a single exception, in a solitary example of CatocaJa 

 unijuga (Walker), the only noctuid moth observed by me during mv 

 fortnight's sojourn here, was Agrotis clandestuia (Harris). To add to 

 the interest, all the examples had one common hiding-place, viz. : 

 behind and about the sliding window-sashes of the exceedingly simple 

 log structure that bore the euphonious name of the Elk Lake Hotel. 

 The only conceivable attraction of such multitude of moths to their 

 covert was a single kerosene hand-lamp, and later at night for a brief 

 space of time, a candle in each of the four bed-rooms. Their assem- 

 blage in such numbers, under such circumstances, was a mystery to 

 me. A sash could not be moved without disturbing a dozen of them. 

 Hundreds could have been captured, but as many were in poor condi- 

 tion and the species is a common one, twenty-five examples only were 

 brought away. 



The black-fly, Simuliutn molestum, was abundant, but not very 

 troublesome, for in the month of August it ceases to show the insatia- 

 ble disposition to gorge itself with blood that it manifests in the pre- 

 ceding months. A number of specimens were captured and bottled 

 for the museum collections as objects of interest to the many who have 

 never recognized this minute yet most annoying" pest of our northern 

 "wilderness. 



Upon some cut poplars (Populus tremuloides) piled by the way-side, 

 a large number of a wood-boring beetle, Agrilus torpidus (Lee), which 

 I had never met with before, were observed alisrhtinor from their flight 

 in the bright sunshine, and running in jerking motions actively over 

 the bark. Its larva is doubtless a borer in the poplar. Sixty-two ex- 

 amples of it were taken. 



A XEW FOT.il OF INSECT ATTACK. 



It would not be proper that at this time I should refer to more than 

 a few of the many interesting insects, their habits and their attacks 

 which have been brought to my notice during the past summer : 1 

 may. however, be permitted to mention two of these attacks. 



We have long been familiar in Albany, with the ravages of the white- 

 marked tussock-moth, Orgyia Jeucostlgma (3m.- Abb.), which annually, 

 during the months of June and July, has made such formidable depre- 

 dations upon the horse-chestnuts, elms, and maples bordering our 

 streets, as to cause their foliage to present a most unsightly appearance. 

 In years when the caterpillar which is the author of these injuries, 

 has been unusually abundant, many of the trees, especially of the horse- 

 chestnuts, have been entirely defoliated. It is this insect from which 

 protection is sought by placing bands of cotton-batting loosely about 

 the tree-trunks when the attack is first noticed — an effective preven- 

 tive only in the event of the tree at the time being wholly free from 



