33 



And in " A Dead Year," 



" Let me smell the wild white rose, 

 Smell the wood-bine and the May ; 

 Mark, upon a sunny day, 

 Sated, from their blossoms rise 

 Honey-bees and butterflies." 



The number of individuals of some species, like the multitude of representatives of 

 some kinds of wild flowers, seems to forbid the investigation that rarity would invite. 

 Things that are seen continually are passed by unheeded ; and many so called familiar 

 things, are in reality strange to us. "The works of the Lord are great," but, it is added, 

 " soicgJiT out by all them that have pleasure therein." His treasures are everywhere abun- 

 dant ; but it is "he who seeketh " that " findeth." 



The butterflies here, as elsewhere, form but a small portion of the Lepidoptera. I 

 have in my collection representatives of fifty-four species taken in the Province of Quebec. 

 I have heard of the capture therein of specimens of six other kinds. So we may set down 

 the number of known species of Quebec butterflies at not less than sixty. 



It is charming in early June, when the maples are in their fresh green, to see 

 Papilio Turnu* flit through the sunny glades, like a fairy, or a hamadryad. So also is it 

 to watch Papilio Asterias, as she sweeps by, sombre in dress, and graceful in motion as a 

 Spanish belle. "Where the wild goosebery is in blossom, or over their food plant, Comics, 

 sporting groups may be seen of the delicate blue butterfly Lyccena Lucia, of the variety 

 that Mr. W. H. Edwards has named Marginata. The Comyntas Blue is local. I have 

 taken it on Mount Royal early in May, but have never seen it further east. Other local 

 species taken at Montreal are Thecla Mopsus (July 14th), Neonympha Eurytris (latter 

 part of June), Eudamus Tityrus (June and July), Debis Portlandia (August). The last 

 is very rare. Mr. P. H. Gosse tells of the capture of it (under the name of Hipparchia 

 Andromacha) at Compton about 90 miles east from Montreal. I have never seen the 

 living insect. 1 am indebted to Mr. Caulfield of Montreal for the specimen I possess. I 

 met with N. Eurytris in the Eastern Townships for the first time in 1882, Chrysophanus 

 Hyllus showed itself in our meadows in 1879. It* has since become plentiful. Feniseca 

 Tarquinius fell into my hands early in September, 1881. I was driving along a road 

 which led by an alder swamp in the township of Stanbridge, when my vehicle brushed the 

 foliage, and disturbed an insect. I said to a friend who was riding with me " That 

 insect flies like a Vapourer Moth, but it is of a different shade, I will get out and 

 see what it is." With some difficulty, owing to its indistinct colouring and its 

 uncertain flight, I captured the specimen, and found it to be one of the species 

 new to me. A few days afterwards I returned, and spent an afternoon in the swamp, 

 and met with several individuals of the kind, which in every case were resting on the 

 upper side of the leaf of the alder (Alnus incana), or on its stem. I found no hawthorns 

 near the spot, though I searched carefully for them, so I cannot help thinking that the 

 old appellation for the insect, P. Cratcegi, was a misnomer. The insect has been taken in 

 an alder swamp also by Mr. H. H. Lyman, of Montreal. On July 24th 1882, I again 

 captured F. Tarquinius. It was in a photographer's " saloon " on the Main Street, 

 Cowansville, P. Que. The Saloon, a Japanese sort of arrangement of movable panels, 

 had stood ou the Exhibition Ground, Montreal, until the October preceding. It was then 

 moved to the Townships, and packed away for several months. As the insect was beauti- 

 fully fresh, I have no doubt that it was accidentally imported in the chrysalis state. On 

 August 30th, 1885, I again saw F. Tarquinius amongst alders on the Island of Orleans. 



Ancyloxypha Marginatus I have taken in September in a bottom land by the Ymaska 

 river in the township of Shefford, amongst the wild grasses that are found in such local- 

 ities. Pamphila Egremet, Pholisora Catullus and Pyrgus Centaurece I have met with 

 among the hills bordering upon the State of Vermont. Melitcea Harrisii in a swamp at 

 St. Henri, Quebec. A. Atlantis, C. Eurytheme, and G. Faunus among the woods and mea- 

 dows of the County of Missisquoi. Pamphila Manitoba may be taken at Riviere-du-Loup 

 en bas. It is said that Grapta interrogationis has been captured near Montreal. I have 

 never met with it. Chionobas jutta was formerly taken near Quebec. For it, too, I 

 have for several seasors searched in vain. Mr. J. G. Jack, of Chateauguay Basin, has 



3 (EX.) 



