Emerton.] 250 [June 20, 



Section of Entomology. June 20, 1877. 

 Mr. E. P. Austin in the chair. Eight persons present. 



Mr. J. H. Emerton said that, in company with Mr. Austin, 

 he had been on Mt. Washington from June 2d to the 18th, 

 collecting the early insects. 



On account of unusually warm weather the season was too far 

 advanced in the Glen and about the lower part of the mountain, but 

 at Hermit Lake and near the Half-way House the snow had just 

 melted, and a great part of the insects were still in their winter hid- 

 ing places. Much time was spent in sifting moss along the Hermit 

 Lake path, the camp near the Half-way House, and as far up as the 

 highest trees on the mountain, about the same insects being found at 

 all these places. 



Mr. Emerton found Epeira Packardii abundant all over the east- 

 ern side of the mountain down to the trees. Males and females were 

 seen together in the webs, the males standing near the upper edge. 



Along the lower part of the carriage road Epeira displicata was 

 found in webs not more than six or eight centimetres in diameter 

 among the leaves at the ends of branches of low plants. 



About two hundred species of spiders were collected, chiefly from 

 the siftings from moss. 



Between the Glen and Gorham, Nymphalis Arthemis was seen fly- 

 ing June 18th. 



Mr. Scudder remarked that this butterfly had not been out 

 more than three days. They get ragged in a few days. For 

 three years he had found them emerging between June 16 

 and 20. 



Mr. E. P. Austin said there was a great flight of insects on 

 the summit of Mt. Washington while he was there (second 

 week of June, 1877). 



The willow Galeruca (G. decora) was very abundant this year, 

 millions were to be found on the dwarf willows high up on the 

 mountain, the walls of the hotel and the platform being covered 

 6ometimes in piles; undoubtedly millions were present; nineteen- 

 twentieths of all the insects at the summit were of this one species. 



