6k Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 
A few insects were collected at Point Barrow (cape Smyth), by the United 
States International Polar Expedition (Murdoch), and have been provisionall}^ 
identified by Riley, in the report of the said expedition (Washington, 1884), 
as follows: — 
Chirono7nus sp. "^ 
Scatophagn sp. I 
Tachinid (Euphorocera?) 
Anthomyia sp. I 
Tipulid (Cteno2)hora sp.) Y Diptera. 
Can. Entomol., 1917-1918. 
Tiiiula coracina Alex. 
Cordylura sp. 
Oedemagena tarandi ■' 
Phrvs;aneoid '. ^^ 
Perlid (^Leptocerus sp.) ^ Neuroplcroids. 
Bornbros moderatus ") 
sylvicola !- Hymenoptera. 
i 
Uroceriis flavicomis 
Dasychira rossi Lepidoptera. 
Amara obtusa 1 ^ , 
-Chrysomelid ( Coleoptera. 
COAST BETWEEN POINT BARROW AND MACKENZIE DELTA 
The Arctic mountains stretch from cape Lisburne to the Mackenzie delta 
and their foothills merge gradually into the coastal plain that reaches the 
Arctic ocean. The beach is formed, sometimes by tundra bluffs up to 30 feet in 
height and sometimes by low alluvial plains fringed by sandpits and lagoons. 
The chains of islands off the coast have a similar composition. The width 
of the coastal plain is greatest at point Barrow, where it is more than 150 
miles, but decreases to the southwest, so that the mountains are Avithin 
12 miles of the ocean at a point east of the 141st meridian, and the foothills 
sometimes usurp the place of the plain. The rivers, some very large, of this 
part of Alaska and Yukon receive many tributaries from the foothills, and when 
these lateral creeks have finally been left behind, the watercourses run fairly 
straight to the north, for the hills along the Mackenzie delta prevent an eastern 
outflow. Ground ice is found to varying depths, especially west of Camden 
bay. The vegetation is the typical Arctic tundra, best developed in valley- 
bottoms and in the extensive coastal swamps where most of the many lakes or 
ponds are situated (PI. V. fig. 2). An enormous quantity of driftwood, from 
the Mackenzie, lines the beach at certain places, and the coastline is subjected 
to a continuous erosion by waves or screw-ice at some parts and upbuilding by 
sand and gravel at others. Even where the coastal plain is missing, as east of 
Stokes point, lagoons, sandbars, and gravel spits are formed at or near the 
mouths of rivers. Shingle point is a conspicuous example of this, presenting 
a shelter for boats. 
Herschel island^ and the coast opposite and eastward are well covered b^- 
vegetation, which is surprisingly abundant on low or protected parts. 
The developments of plant and insect life are so intimately connected that 
the study of one involves the study of both, and also, of course, of climatic 
conditions, the influence of which has been dealt with in the report on climate 
and in Mr. F. W. L. Sladen's report.^ The development of plant-life especiall}^ 
affects the non-predacious insects such as certain coleoptera, diptera and the 
lepidoptera, sawflies, and bees. 
Such plants as mosses, Cassiope, Saxifraga, Ranunculus, etc., which, during 
the melting of the snow, are immersed in water, bear green or new leaves at the 
beginning of May — earlier than is the case with those plants that draw their 
power only from the sun. 
1 For topog^raphica! description see Geol. Surv., Can., Sum. Rept., 1915, p. 236, J. J. O'Neiil. 
2 Report Canadian Arctic Exped., 1915-18, III, G. 1919. 
