81 



if possible. That ptarmigan were to be found upon Attu Island I knew 

 from the report of Mr. L. M. Turner, who visited the island in 1880-81 , 

 but who appears not to have collected any specimens. 



The Albatross anchored in Chichagof harbor, Attu Island, on the evening 

 of May 28, and I spent the next day on shore climbing over the snowy 

 mountain slopes in search of the ptarmigan ; and the search was re- 

 warded by our securing live fine specimens, four males and one female. 

 A comparison of these with the specimens which I had from Unalaska 

 iind Atka indicated that there are some well marked differences, and that 

 the Attu Ptarmigan is worthy of at least sub-specific rank. Upon re- 

 turning to Washington I turned the specimens over to the U. S. National 

 Museum, where they have been examined by Doctors Ridgway, Stejneger, 

 and Merriam, all of whom pronounce it a new and well-marked variety. 



Local VARIATIONS. By C. H. ElGENMANN. 

 [Abstuact.] 

 A detailed comparison of about 400 specimens of Lenciscus from the 

 •Columbia basin and the Fraser basin showed that each locality has a 

 variety which in the aggregate was different from the varieties of every 

 other locality. The fin rays were found to decrease with the altitude, and 

 in a general way it was noticed that the variation between the specimens 

 of the same species also decreased with the altitude. These facts were 

 demonstrated by diagrams. 



Modern geographical distribution of insects in Indiana. By F. M. 

 Webster. 



He who studies geographical distribution is, at the very beginning, 

 "brought to understand that the area of any one state, or, indeed, any 

 single country, is far too limited in which to work out his problem, as in 

 the majority of cases the influences which make the presence of a species 

 possible lie, largely, outside the boundaries of such state. The ento- 

 mology of Indiana is only a fragment of the world's entomology and must 

 be studied in connection with its closely related factors. You will there- 

 fore, 1 hope, pardon me for beginning my subject at a long distance from 

 home and with elements seeming at first to have little to do with Indiana 

 insects. 



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