OF WASHINGTON. 89 
eggs, some of which also accompany the specimens. It agrees in every 
respect with my original figure published in LeBaron's fourth report on the 
insects of Illinois, and is distinguishable from the larva by its smaller 
iaws, and smaller, finer ungues. 
INTERESTING LEPIDOPTERA. I also call attention to a very pretty species 
of Syntomeida with metallic green wings and steel blue abdomen, tipped 
with ferruginous red, and with large white spots on the body, collected by 
Mr. Schwarz at Cocoanut Grove, Biscayne Bay, Fla. It will doubtless 
prove to be a new species. 
Also specimens of another interesting, silvery white moth, the position 
of which is not very clear, and which Mr. Schwarz also collected. The 
interest attaching to them is that long strings or pencils of hair are seen 
to issue from the tip of the body made by the death movement of the ovi- 
positor separating and welding the hairs from a conspicuous anal tuft 
which the female possesses. 
Mr. Schwarz commenced an account of a recent trip through 
the coral region of southeastern Florida, and narrated his expe- 
rience during a short stay, in the month of April, on the island of 
Key West. The following is an abstract of his remarks : 
The island of Key West, extending in a west-easterly direction, has a 
length of from six to seven miles, with a width of from one to two miles. 
The western third of the island is occupied by the city of Key West, and 
the trees in the gardens and on the streets are all artificially imported 
from the West Indies or South America. A rather wide beach, partly 
rocky and partly sandy, extends all along the south side ; the north side 
is without beach and covered with a dense growth of mangrove trees, or 
rather bushes, which extend also in a wide belt along the south side back 
of the beach. The middle of the island is occupied by an extremely thick 
growth of shrub-like trees, not higher than about 15 feet, but without much 
undergrowth. This shrubbery represents what is known as the semi- 
tropical forest of southern Florida, and its low growth on Key West and 
the other smaller Keys is no doubt attributable to the small elevation of 
the land above the level of the sea. There is a complete absence of fresh 
water springs, creeks, and swamps, and consequently, the Dytiscidae and 
all other families living in or near fresh water are not represented on the 
island. The ground is either rocky or covered with coralline sand, and 
since the porous rock absorbs at once every drop of the frequent showers, 
the surface of the ground is constantly dry. The few herbaceous plants 
growing in the woods or on the open places are all of a maritime character. 
The whole aspect of the island is, entomologically speaking, by no 
means inviting, and my first attempts in collecting resulted in disappoint- 
ment. It took some time before I found out that, owing to the extreme 
dryness, collecting under stones, and sifting the old leaves and other debris 
in the woods, produce hardly anything, and the sparse vegetation of herb- 
aceous plants also harbors a very scant fauna of no special interest. On 
