15 



half way towards the tip of the wing. The anterior part of the body is black, the abdo" 

 men of a dark reddish hue. Early in the morning when the air is cool these flies, when ap- 

 proached, will fall from the bushes to the ground and 

 remain inactive there long enough to admit of many 

 of them being caught and destroyed, but as the heat 

 of the day increases they become much quicker in their 

 movements, and when disturbed take wing readily. 



The larvae may be promptly destroyed by syring- 

 ing the bushes with water in which powdered helle- 

 bore is mixed in the proportion of an ounce of the 

 powder to a pailful of water, or with Paris green and 

 water in the proportion of a teaspoonful of the poison 

 to a pailful of water. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



BY J. G. JACK, CHATEAUGUAY BASIN, QUEBEC. 



The following notes on the habits of several insects are from a record of entoni oiogica 

 observations kept during the past four years, and although imperfect, they may serve as 

 a hint to others to pursue observations in the directions indicated. 



During the past season few unusual specimens were taken and very few notes made. 

 Diurnal Lepidoptera (with the single exception of P. cardui, which had been rare for 

 some years) were unusually scarce. Pieris rapoe is becoming less numerous every year, 

 owing, probably, to its many parasites. Moths were not so abundant as usual, and the 

 only capture worthy of notice was the re-occurrence of Aletia xylina Say (the cotton- 

 worm moth), a single good fresh specimen of which was taken October 26th, in the 

 woods, among leaves near a butternut tree. There had been severe frost the night before, 

 but the moth was quite lively when found. Looking through my note book, I find the 

 following entries regarding this insect : — ■ 



" October lst-1 5th, 1 881. Found Aletia xylina Say quite common, especially in open 

 barrels or heaps of decaying apples left in the orchard." 



" Sept. 21, 1882. Aletia xylina Say taken at decaying fruit." 



"Oct. 12, 1883. Aletia xylina Say taken at decaying apples. Not very common 

 this year." 



The decaying apples mentioned were windfalls that had been partly eaten by other 

 insects before they were gathered, and put into heaps or old barrels to be fed to cattle. 

 When these apples had stood in the sun a few days, the smell of ripe fruit from them 

 became quite strong, and many moths, flies, etc., were attracted. It was here I found 

 Aletia xylina most common, resting quietly on the bitten apples, and easily taken with 

 the hand. They are nearly always in good condition, and although they are not easily 

 "rubbed" and have the power of long sustained flight, I find it hard to agree with 

 Professor KileyY opinion that they fly here every autumn from the Southern cotton fields. 

 I think we will yet find there is a Northern food plant. 



Dec 30th, 1881. Found more than one hundred pupse of Drasteria erechtea Hub. 

 in a hollow piece of wood. They must have been collected and placed here by some small 

 animal, possibly a wood-mouse. 



Jan. 9, 1882. Found several examples of hybernating Y. milberti under stones in a 

 stone fence. I thought it worth noting that two or more were almost always found under 

 the same stone or near together, and a considerable distance might intervene between 

 each lot of specimens. 



July 25, 1882. Several specimens of V. antiopa taken hovering over bushes of choke 

 cherry [P. virginiana), the leaves of which were much infested with aphides. The 



