29 



buzzed about our ears as we were driving, and settled on our clothing in considerable- 

 numbers. After catching all that could be conveniently carried, we amused ourselves by 

 swinging the net in different directions, catching a few dozen and then letting them fly' 

 again. Among the most numerous species were Libellula basalis, L. trimaculata, L. exusta, 

 Diplax intacta, and D. rubicundida, with some others undetermined. During the drive- 

 there also floated past us on rapid wing several specimens of Papilio cresphordes an! one 

 or two P. marcdlus, but they flew with the prevailing wind directly over the swamp,- 

 where pursuit was impracticable. As we passed a sunny spot in the woods, approaching 

 the end of our journey, a small dark-coloured insect was seen hovering about some flowers- 

 growing by the road-side, which from its peculiar jerky flight, was evidently a Thecla. A- 

 brief chase resulted in its capture, when it proved to be Thecla smilacis Boiscl., = anbur- 

 niana Harris, never before, to our knowledge, recorded as occurring in Canada. As we 

 approached the extremity of the Point, we left the swamps behind us and with them the 

 multitudinous hosts of the larger Neurdpterous insects, but several of the smaller species 

 were present, associated with Dipterous insects, in prodigious numbers, flying in clouds- 

 from every tree and bush we touched, the vibration of their many wings causing a loud, 

 roar or buzz. The sides of houses and barns were so thickly covered with them as to- 

 almost hide the wood they rested on, but they did not venture inside the buildings, 



The next day was unfavourable for collecting ; the rain poured in torrents until early 

 in the afternoon. As soon as it had ceased, we wandered several miles along the sandy 

 roads and shores, and found many interesting plants and trees, but there were very few 

 insects. on the wing, excepting those belonging to the Neuroptera, which were everywhere' 

 in abundance. Late in the afternoon, while beating about among the bushes on the sand 

 hills on the eastern shore, a yellow butterfly started up which at first was thought to be 

 a pale C. philodice, but there was something unusual about its appearance and manner of 

 flight which led us to pursue it until captured. Imagine our surprise when we found it 

 to be a female specimen of Terias Mexicana Boisd. 



In W. H. Edwards' Catalogue of Diurnal Lepicloptera, Thecla smilacis Boisd. is said 

 to be found in the Atlantic States, Mississippi Valley and Texas, while the localities- 

 given for Terias Mexicana are Texas to Arizona ; California, occasionally in Kansas and- 

 Nebraska. 



Since both these butterflies are new to our Canadian lists, we append descriptions 

 of them. 



Thecla smilacis is thus described by Boisduval : "Upper side blackish brown, with a 

 pale whitish spot near the middle of the costal edge ; the secondaries have two thin tails 

 as in the analagous species. 



" Under side greenish, often washed with a little reddish, with a transverse whitish 

 ray sinuous on the primaries, tortuous on the secondaries, bordered in front by a ferru- 

 ginous tint. Between this fay and the base, the secondaries have another short transverse 

 sinuous ray of the same colour. The extremity is marked by two or three ashy crescents, 

 of which the intermediary is black in front, and the third in a line with two or three- 

 small ferruginous spots, more or less distinct. The anal palette is black, and near the 

 fringe there is a small white marginal line. 



" Larva, which feeds on Smilax, is green, with the head and feet blackish. It has 

 four rows of red spots, of which the two dorsal are formed of smaller spots, and one on- 

 each side composed of spots somewhat larger. 



" Chrysalis grayish-brown, with the abdomen more clear and reddish." 



Harris, who regarded this species as distinct from smilacis, thus describes it under 

 the name of auburniana, and Harris' description agrees more closely with the specimens 

 captured by us than does that of Boisduval. Harris says : "The outermost of the tails 

 of this insect is very short, and often nothing remains of it but a little tooth on the ed«-e 

 of the wing. It varies considerably in colour ; the females are generally deep brown above, 

 but sometimes the wings are rust-ooloured or tawny in the middle, as they always are in 

 the males ; the oval opaque spot which characterizes the latter sex is ochre-yellow. Upon 

 the under side the wings in both sexes are gi-een, the anterior pair tinged with brown. 

 from the middle to the inner edge ; externally next to the fringe they are all margined by 

 a narrow wavy white line, bordered internally with brown ; this line on the fore wings 



