400 
A NATURAL HISTORY TOUR IN NORTH AMERICA. 
We had much thunder yesterday, which continued most of the night; stich 
thunder and lightning I never witnessed : the lightning was rose-coloured. The 
rain has caused the woods to put on rather a greener hue ; but, save the Willows, 
not a leaf of any deciduous • tree is out; one or two Cherry blossoms, and a 
Peach blossom, are nearly out, and the Apple4rees are budding a little. Besides 
the plants I have mentioned, I have only seen a Viola^ an Anemone, and a 
Saxifraga, which I do not know; also a Gnaphaliiim and a Taraxacum. The 
Sallows are in bloom partially, and yesterday I saw some Vireos* ( V. oUvaceus, 
I think) catching Flies off them. The wild Vines in the woods have stems as 
large as my arm. 
Of insects few are out yet: of Lepidoptera none, save Antiopa; another 
Vanessa, resembling Urticca, which I could not catch; we found also one crushed 
specimen 'of Arctia fuliginosa ; one Noctua, and two or three Tinece. Of CoU^ 
optera we have taken many ; Cicindela,\?^Q) species; Carahus, 1; Brachinus 1 / 
Lehia 1 ; C:gmindis, 1 ; Chloeniits, several; Poeciliis, 1 ; Harpalus, several ; 
Anchomenus, Agonum, and Bemhidium, several; and one beautiful thing allied 
to Carahus. I have also a Bgrrhus; one or two Apkodii; three or four 
Melolonthce.; several Elateres, one allied to B. hcemorrhoidalis, by dozens; 
Nitidula, one species; M^ligethes, 1 ; Altica, several; and among these are 
several large and beautiful species, one the form of A. nemorum, but much 
larger; it has a red thorax, and black elytra; each elytron having a white 
longitudinal line. The most extraordinary Coleopterous insect I have seen is a 
thing somewhat like Sepidium^ but shorter; it is heteromerous, covered with 
tubercles, and the male has two horns on the thorax; it is rather longer than our 
biggest Trox, which it a little resembles; I found one male and two females 
of this insect on a Fungus. I have also got a most beautiful Chrgsomela, as 
large as C. polita, of a pale cream-colour with a green suture, and several green 
liturae on the elytra ; the thorax is also green. I have likewise taken a Thana-' 
simus, an Onthophagus, a beautiful creature allied to Ips, and many others ; but 
as they are still in their winter-quarters, it requires good hunting to find them. 
The old rotten stump swarms with Ants, some species an inch long; also a small 
species of white Ant (Termer); these are at present in the pupa state. The 
Bombi, Andrence, and Osmice are just coming out. I have taken a very beauti¬ 
ful Abia or Zaraea, with clouded wings; a species of Bosytheus, just like B>^ 
Junci, is abundant. 
I noticed another bird this morning, a Sylvia striata; it has been running up 
and down the stem of a Cherry-tree, about eight feet from the window, like a 
^ We believe Swaixson tcfaig these blyds “ Greenlets.”—E d, 
