THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 37 



NOTES ON THE INSECT FAUNA OF HIGH ALTITUDES IN 

 CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO. 



BV T. D. A. COCKERELL, WEST CLIFF, CUSTER CO., COL. 



The faunae of high altitudes always possess a peculiar interest by virtue 

 of the light they throw on problems of geographical distribution, and 

 especially the distribution in ancient times of what is now a strictly Arctic 

 and Alpine fauna. For this reason, the following lists of species, fragment- 

 ary as they are, may be of some value as a contribution to our knowledge 

 of the Alpine fauna of Colorado, and for comparison with Arctic and 

 Alpine faunte in general. The species here enumerated were taken in 

 1887, 1888 and 1889, on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo Range, 

 in Custer County, Colorado, Three gulches have been explored, namely, 

 (i) Smith's Park Gulch, on a fork of Brush Creek, (2) Horseshoe Bend 

 Gulch, the next gulch south of No. i, and (3) Swift Creek Gulch. The 

 great majority of insects came from Smith's Park Gulch. The altitudes 

 are from 10,000 to 12,000 feet. A large number of insects were taken 

 about the Micawber Mine, which is possibly not quite 10,000 feet ; but it 

 cannot be far from it, so the species are included. A list of the fauna 

 and flora of the same part of Custer County, below 10,000 feet, is now in 

 course of publication in the " West American Scientist." A comparison 

 of the two lists will show that the fauna of higher altitudes differs very 

 materially from that of the valley : — 



COLEOPTERA. 



These have been kindly identified by Dr. John Hamilton. They are 

 classified according to locality and date of collection : — 

 (i) Near Brush Creek, June 26 and 27, 1889 — 

 Dolopius lateralis Esch. 

 Podabrus lateralis Lee. 

 Orsodacna atra var. childre?ii Kirby. 

 Cicindela longilabris Say. 

 Acmxops protetcs Kirby. 

 Adoxus vitis L. 

 Dichelonycha backii Kirby. 

 O. childreni and D. backii were common. A. vitis had the thorax 

 black, and elytra reddish-fulvous. 



