76 



That there was some strong attraction it will be readily granted. I had gone there 

 from Ottawa (808 miles) two years running, before this season, and had now persuaded 

 Mr. Scudder to come all the way from Boston to accompany me. 



I have elsewhere mentioned that in 1885 Professor Macoun brought back with him 

 from this locality a collection of butterflies. In this collection were some of exceptional 

 interest and one of which was a great surprise. This was a new species of the Arctic 

 genus Chionobas (or CEneis, Hub). It was a surprise not so much from being a species 

 of that genus but from being of a distinctly western type. It resembles most nearly 

 Ch. Calif ornica of the Pacific coast and is a large species, expanding from 2 to 2 \ inches. 

 Besides this there were several specimens of Colzas Interior, Scud, Argynnis Electa, Edw., 

 as well as many other insects, and amongst them a small Chrysoplianus , of which Mr. 

 Edwards says " it may be Florus." I am of the opinion that it certainly is not Helloides, 

 Bd., but it seems to me to approach more nearly to Dorcas, Kirby, and Epixanthe,lS. L. The 

 female is the same size as Dorcas and the spots are almost identically the same. In the 

 Nepigon species, however, the colour of the upper surface is deep purplish brown, and 

 upon both primaries and secondaries, between the margin and the post-median band of 

 black spots, is a band of orange lunules running out to the broad margin from each spot 

 on the primaries. These are larger and longer outside the three lowest spots, correspond- 

 ing with the greater distance of these three spots from the margin than the three upper- 

 most. On the secondaries the orange spots are much smaller and the continuous band 

 although discernible is indistinct towards its upper end. The coloration of the under 

 side is very rich, being bright rusty orange, slightly washed with purple over the 

 secondaries and at the apices of primaries. The spots and marks, as on the upper side,. 

 are like those of Dorcas, of which indeed this form is possibly a variety. I have 

 mentioned it here at some length because it has not been taken again at Nepigon since 

 Professor Macoun took the five specimens he brought back with him. Specimens 

 identical with these were sent to me by Dr. W. Brodie, of Toronto, who took them at 

 Tobermorey in the same district in September. 



Now, the eggs of the species I have mentioned and those of Carterocephalus Mandan. 

 were our particular desiderata and these were the attractions which led us to Nepigon in 

 preference to nearer places. 



The whole fauna and flora of the locality are, however, of particular interest from their 

 northern character. The geographical position of Nepigon is about lat. 49°, Ion. 88°, and 

 apart from its northern position it has a cooling influence exercised upon it by the proximity 

 of the large mass of cold water found in Lake Superior. The difference in the state of 

 development of the plants here and at Ottawa was at once noticeable when we left the hotel 

 and began to search for the treasures we had come for. In the clearing round the station 

 and " village " wild strawberries and raspberries were still in flower, and the white stars 

 of Cornus Canadensis were a conspicuous feature. In the woods the Lake Superior 

 Nodding Trillium, T. declinatum, was still in flower, together with Clintonia borealis. A 

 variety of Rosa blanda was just beginning to expand, and the bushes of Amelanchier 

 Canadenis were a beautiful sight. Streptopus roseus and Actcea alba were everywhere 

 abundant beneath the trees, and amongst the mossy stumps Coptis trifolia and Mitclla 

 nuda opened their gemlike flowers. By the river banks magnificent clumps of Caltlia 

 palustris, the marsh marigold, caught the eye. All these are spring flowers which at 

 Ottawa expand their blossoms in the middle or end of May, and although there were 

 some flowers of a later date amongst them, the character of the flora was such as we had 

 seen at Ottawa at least a month sooner. We learnt upon enquiry that upon the 1st of 

 June the woods had a great deal of snow in them and the ice had only lately left the 

 river. 



The collecting grounds at Nepigon may be described as follows : — Starting from the 

 hotel near the railway and going down to the Hudson Bay post is a tract of low wood- 

 land and beyond this are the fields and meadows belonging to the Hudson Bay post. 

 Opposite the hotel and north of the railway is a road running back into the woods, and 

 parallel with Lake Helen. This is called " the wood road," and is used in the winter 

 time to bring down firewood from the high lands beyond the clearing. Turning west- 

 ward along the track, high rocks and banks soon come down to the railway on the right 



