17 



a, very general adoption of many, at any rate, of his generic titles, and that this 

 would alter very much our current nomenclature. He also referred to Prof. J. B. 

 Smith's contemplated monograph of the JSfoctuidce, the frequent descriptions of 

 new species by Mr. Hulst and others, and the work of Prof. Fernald among the 

 Micros, as rendering the publication of a list premature at present. He said that 

 he had in his possession a new check-list of the Noctuidce by Mr. Grote, but its 

 publication was deemed unwise owing to the foregoing considerations. He thought 

 that Mr. Moffat's object could be met by printing a few sheets to supplement the 

 lists published a few years ago by Dr. Brodie and Dr. White. 



GALL INSECTS. 



Dr. Brodie gave a very interesting account of his studies and investigations 

 of the habits and life-history of gall insects, to which he has. devoted much time 

 and labour for many years past. 



EFFECTS OF HEAT UPON INSECT LIFE. 



BY THE EEV. THOMAS W. FTLES, SOUTH QUEBEC. 



The Rev. T. W. Fyles read a paper on the " Effects of Heat upon Insect Life." 



Our attention has been drawn by that accurate observer, Mr. W. H. Edwards, 

 and others, to the effects of cold in retarding the developement of insects from stage 

 to stage of their existence. The effects of heat in hastening their changes are no less 

 remarkable. Last autumn I found caterpilars of Amphion nessus upon Virginia 

 creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefolia). They were full fed; and I placed them (for 

 the time being, as I thought) in a glass jar, partly filled with fresh earth that had 

 been carefully examined, and containing oak leaves in which some, to me, unknown 

 larvae were mining. These latter I hoped to raise. Failing in my efforts, I 

 placed the jar on a shelf in my study, quite forgetting the Nessus caterpillars. 

 On the last day of December my attention was arrested by the rustling of the 

 dry oak leaves in the jar. On examination I found a newly developed imago of 

 Nessus ; and a further search revealed a second crippled and dead. My room had 

 been kept at an equal temperature — the fire having been maintained night and 

 day. 



On the first of January, in the same room, a specimen of Papilio asterias 

 presented itself. A neighbour's son had brought the chrysalis some months before 

 and, to please him, I had fastened it by its silken attachment to the window frame' 



No doubt many butterflies that present themselves at times in the winter are 

 hibernating species ; but this instance shews that summer forms may be developed 

 untimely by heat. Pieris rapce is often seen in houses in mid winter, the chrysa- 

 lids having remained unnoticed in neglected corners. 



Those who have had much experience in raising insects will no doubt have 

 observed, that, in instances of species that spend the winter in the egg, the 

 warmth of the house sometimes causes the eggs to hatch before the leaves of the 

 proper food plant have appeared. I have often had to open the leaf buds, and to 

 place in them, by means of a camel's hair pencil, the newly hatched larvge, that 

 they might feed upon the undeveloped leaflets. Through this expedient they 

 have been supported till the foliage was more advanced. 



2 (EN.) • 



