780 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxvii. 



The Kootenai district contains two fauna! regions, conditioned indi- 

 rectly^ rather than dircctl}' by the altitude. None of the peaks reach 

 timber line, or at least exceed it enough to form a defined alpine zone, 

 as in the Rockies of Colorado. Still the upper slopes of the mountains, 

 on account of their steepness, ruggedness, and exposure to the wind 

 are largely devoid of trees. This effect is heightened b}^ the presence 

 of large areas of snow in favored spots, many of these areas forming- 

 permanent fields and glaciers. These cool the neighborhood and pro- 

 duce a more arctic climate not conditioned by the absolute altitude. 

 In such areas grasses and sedges occur with other northerly plants, 

 and a subarctic insect fauna is found to correspond. This region Avas 

 but little explored by us on account of the difliculty of access, and I 

 have no descriptions of the larvfe of its moths. Breeding work was 

 carried on in Kaslo at an altitude of 1,700 feet. From there to 7,000 

 or 8,000 feet the fauna is practically uniform, differing in the later 

 appearance of the same species. Toward the upper edge of the conif- 

 erous belt, somewhat more northern forms occur, but there is no 

 markedh' different region except that of the grassy spots on the peaks. 

 Besides Kaslo, small collections were made at Bear Lake, Sandon, 

 Lardo, Nelson, West Robson, Nakusp, Rcvelstoke, Glacier, and Field, 

 showing the general uniformitj^ of the faunal character of the district. 



The Kootenai district is, for a western locality, comparatively rich 

 in Lepidoptera. The Noctuidse and Geometridte form the bulk of the 

 species, and these are, rather uncxpcctedl}" , for the most part not 

 inhabitants of the coniferous forest, but feed upon the deciduous 

 plants. Therefore we found Kaslo an exceptionally good collecting 

 ground. The region had been completel}" burned over some years 

 ago and is now densely grown to deciduous plants. The comparative 

 absence of commercial activit}" has tended to increase these conditions, 

 for even in the town itself collecting conditions are established in the 

 neglected yards of the many deserted houses, one might almost say in 

 the very streets of the town. The season of 1903 was not a good one, 

 for no apparent reason. Butterflies were unusually scarce, and moths 

 likewise in the earl}^ part of the season. Later they reached about 

 their average abundance. With ui}" own collections and those of Mr. 

 Cockle, approximately 25,000 specimens have been under examination, 

 in spite of the poorness of the season. 



The fauna of our area, while showing its own peculiarities, seems 

 nearest allied to that of the Sierra Nevadas of California. Presumably 

 a still closer affinity would be found to the Cascade Range of Oregon 

 and Washington, but that region is little known at present. Many of 

 the species either occur in California, or are represented by close allies 

 there. The fauna of the coast region of British Columbia differs per- 

 ceptibly, in fact, more than I had anticipated would be the case; while 

 on the other side of the Kootenais, the main range of the Rockies, 



