200 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Mr. Cockle is as yet alone in his enjoyment of the spectacle 

 presented by the golden snow-flea. He writes enthusiastically about these 

 lively creatures that illumine the snow over patches of several square 

 yards. As the snow melts, the snow-fleas are carried off in the currents of 

 water and deposited on the surfaces of the pools, where they accumulate 

 in immense numbers. They cannot sink in water, on account of their 

 clothing of bristles, and even in strong alcohol they are not easily immersed 

 without being shaken in the fluid, unless the fluid is hot. 



The golden snow-flea loses its colour when it dies out of doors in the 

 pools, and becomes dirty white ; but when the insect is preserved in 

 alcohol or Canada balsam, the pigment is singularly permanent ; the 

 specimens that Cockle sent out two years ago are now as vividly yellow 

 as ever. 



Strictly speaking, the colour is not golden-yellow, but lemon-yellow — 

 even though the former would be preferable on account of its associations. 



Aphorura Cocklei^ n. sp., is lemon-yellow and slender. Head with 

 one pseudocellus behind the base of each antenna (Plate 5, Fig. i). 

 Postantennal organ of eight to ten papillae, which vary in form within the 

 limits of oval, ovate and elliptical (Figs. 2, 3). Antennse three-fourths as 

 long as the head. Antennal organs five-lobed (Fig. 4), the lobes being 

 stout, rounded, and suboval, subovate or subconical. The number of 

 dorsal pseudocelli to each body segment is successively (Fig. 5) o, 2, 2, 2, 

 2, 2, 2, 4, o. Anal spines two (Fig. 6), stout, curved, subequal in length 

 to one of the ungues, and seated on separated, or nonconfluent, papillae. 

 There is no trace of a furcula. Claws similar throughout, the first pair 

 being slightly larger than the rest ; unguis (Fig. 7) stout, feebly curved, 

 untoothed ; unguiculus two-thirds as long as unguis, with semi-elliptical 

 basal lamella and acuminattly prolonged apex ; tenant hair single, simple, 

 and as long as the unguis. Clothing of minute curved set^e and fewer but 

 longer stiff setne. Maximum length, 1.8 mm. 



Tullberg's description of Aphorura sibirica (Collembola borealia, 

 1876, p. 40) applies, so far as it goes, to this snow-flea, but applies equally 

 well to a second species ; for the description is broad enough to include 

 at least two distinct species. The other of these is a form which Dr. Karl 

 Absolon found in the caves of Moravia ; and because it fell under 

 Tullberg's description o^ sibirica, he retained that name for the cave form, 

 and at the same time gave a good description of the species (Zool. Anz., 

 Bd., 23, 1900, p. 408). This description of Aphorura sibirica, Tullberg- 

 Absolon, fits our golden snow-flea, which has, however, certain characters 

 that Absolon did not mention. 



