1SJW] 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD COLLECTING GROUNDS. 



IJy H. F. WirKHAM, Iowa City, Iowa. 

 VII. The Vicinity of Colorado Springs. 



Two years ago, in company with my wife and a friend, I 

 spent a few weeks in the mountains of Colorado. Our h'rst 

 stop was made at Colorado Springs, which we reached on the 

 fifteenth of .June, apparently in the very height of the collect 



ing season. 



The town lies on the extreme eastern edge of the IJocky 

 .Mountain region proper, in a rolling piece of country lroken 

 l>y many small hills which rise to the westward until they are 

 lost in the grander heights of the Clie\enne Mountains and the 

 numerous summits which surround the snow-covered apex of 

 Pike's Peak. The lower levels are covered with the character 

 istic weeds and shrubs of the arid plains, while at a height of 

 two or three hundred feet above the creek the scrub oaks put 

 in an appearance. The numerous canons which open from the 

 hills support an almost entirely different class of plants, the 

 oaks becoming more plentiful and being intermixed with nu- 

 merous conifers and flowering shrubs. These shrubs often ex- 

 tend out of the mouths of the canons along the courses of the 

 little creeks, and in consequence the accompanying insect 

 fauna which we might otherwise consider as being confined 

 to the mountain ranges is carried out some distance on to the 

 adjacent plain. 



The altitude of Colorado Springs is approximately li.OOO 

 feet. I>ut since it is the most favored summer resort in the 

 State and much frequented by a class of health and pleasure 

 seekers, business enterprise has resulted in the construction oi 

 railroads or electric lines to many points of interest in the \ i 

 cinity which would otherwise be diflicnll of access without the 

 expenditure of considerable time. Thus it is easy to visit the 

 < iarden of the (iods. the canons in the Che\emie Mountains 

 and those near Manitou without any great exertion. Some ot 

 these are very rich in insects, particularly Williams' Canon, 

 which lies close to Manitou. The railroad to the summit of 

 Pike's Peak offers a smooth walk for the pedestrian, but the 

 results of our high altitude collecting here, by no means encour- 

 age a recommendation to ot hers. 



While not wishing to present a complete list of our capt nres 



