Natural Science News. 



VOL. I ALBION, N. Y., JANUAEY 2fi, 1896. No. 52 



Natural Science News. 



A Weekly Journal Devoted to 

 Natural History. 



FRANK H. LATTIN, Editor and Publisher, 

 ALBION, N. Y. 



Correspondence and items of interest to the 

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Debis Portlandia in Abundance. 



It was on the 18th of August, 

 1895, a date fresh to my memory 

 as though it had been yesterday, 

 when my brother and I stepped 

 from the train, which had borne us 

 from St. Louis, to this lovely place, 

 Creve Coeur, Mo., a ride of 20 

 miles. 



It is just 10 a. m., and the hot 

 August sun is already forecasting 

 what it is capable of doing later 

 in the day. A few steps bring us 

 to a woodpile, where we arrange 

 our nets and collecting boxes for 

 the day's hunt. I had hardly open- 

 ed my net when, "There he goes" 

 sounded to my ears. I was not 

 long in giving chase, and in a few 

 moments returned with a beauti- 

 ul specimen of Papilo a/ax. Our 

 leggins are soon in place and we're 

 off. First we climb a steep hill 

 which is rather fatiguing work, 

 but nevertheless we move on as 

 we are well aware of the beautiful 

 place which is awaiting us on the 

 summit. Now we have arrived 

 and before us lays a fine open for- 

 est. The ground is studded with 

 magnificent flowers and grasses, 

 which to my great regret I am un- 

 able to describe as my knowledge 

 of botany is too limited. Exhaust- 

 ed as we are from the climb we 

 take no time to rest, but separate, 

 one taking the east and the other 

 the west side of the ridge. 



Working our way northward, I 

 did not notice that we became 

 somewhat far separated, until I 

 heard my name called. Making 

 my way to where the sound came 

 from, I found my brother in hot 

 pursuit of something, what, was 

 not long to be a secret, for when I 

 appeared on the ridge, the words 

 Debis Portlandia rang like music to 

 my ears. A few hops, steps and 

 jumps, brought me to his side, 

 when I became fnlly r.ware of the 

 situation, for here, there, and 

 everywhere were Debis Portlandia 

 to be seen. Here was work and 

 we worked, for in a shor" lime our 

 triangles which numbered about 

 40 were filled, (one in each) with 

 those graceful insects. But there 



are still more at hand, so taking a 

 piece of newspaper from his pocket, 

 my brother placed it on the ground 

 near a log, he then emptied about 

 fifteen of his triangles on it and 

 went once more to work. Return- 

 ing to where he left his prize on 

 the paper in a short time, it burst 

 like a thunderstorm from his lips. 

 Going to ascertain che cause, I 

 found his good reason for so doing. 

 A host of black ants, whose nest 

 was not far off, had found their 

 way to the paper and were carrying 

 wings, legs, and bodies in triumph 

 to their home. Not a single one 

 was left untouched. Insects are 

 entomologist's best friends, but in 

 a case of this kind, he would ra- 

 ther see them all, where he would 

 not care to be, and so it was with 

 my brother, but I soon altered his 

 mind by telling him "Plenty more 

 around, come let's have lunch" 

 then starting in for a hearty laugh 

 at his expense, in which he soon 

 joined me. Presently our boxes 

 are from our shoulders and a log 

 near by served as table and chairs. 

 Sandwich in hand, we spoke of 

 what would only interest an enthu- 

 siastic entomologist, "the success 

 of the day" and sure enough it was 

 a dandy, Debis portlandia at the 

 head, Papilio ajax, P. asterias, P. 

 troilits, P. philinor, Argynnis eybele, 

 Phieiodes nyeteis, P. tharos, Colias 

 philodiee, Pieris protodiee, P. rapae, 

 Meganostoma caesonia,Pyramcis ear- 

 dui, P. atalanta, Terias nieippe, and 

 not to forget the dainty Thecla 

 hamuli, were all represented. Hav- 

 ing finished our dinner, we once 

 more tried our luck at Debts and 

 succeeded in taking 17 more, mak- 

 ing the nice little sum of 56. Hap- 

 py at our success, we turned our 

 steps toward the station, where 

 we arrived in good time for the 

 train, which was to convey us once 

 more to our home. 



I wonder if any other reader of 

 Natural Science News, has ever 

 fouud Debis in such abundance in 

 one place, if so let us hear from 

 him, or her. 



H. Schwarz. 



Indians of 200 Years Ago. 



We have no authentic history of 

 a people inhabitating this country 

 anterior to those who occupied it 

 on the advent of the Europeans, 

 and who are classed under the 



