— 1/3- 



farthcr noilli. Il is rich in cmiiposition ; nearly a (juarter of all the 

 arborescent species (.jftlic Atlantic forest are found.within this insignificant 

 region. " 



In these few wortls the extent of the semiiropical insect fauna is also 

 sketched, but Prof Sargent omits to emphasize the island-like distribution 

 of the semitropical forest which as a matter of course exists on the Keys 

 but is maintained tliroughout on the mainland. 



This distribiinon of the semitropical fauna uhich surrounds, like a 

 necklace of pearls by far the largest portion of the penincula of Floriila 

 is certainlx- a mo'-t remarkable one, and lias, 1 think, no parallel in any 

 odier Country oi ihe gkibe. 



Id a f)aper read at the March (iS88) meeting of the Kntomological 

 Society of Washington, Mr. Uhler, while speaking on the Hemiptera col- 

 lected l)y my>ell in souih-eastern Florida, stated that the present Hemip- 

 terous fauna of Ntirih Auieiica IS largely derived from the neo-tropical 

 fauna, ami that the comparatively few leally nearctic forms in Southern 

 Floiida have a hard snuggle with the invaders from the South. His first 

 assertion is undoubtedly correct and holds true also of the other Orders 

 ofmsects; but ?*Ir. Uhler omits lo state that the immigration to which 

 he refers and which shaped the character of the present fauna of the North 

 American continent, took place at a very remote age, viz : at the end of 

 the Ice period, long before ttiere existed a Southern Florida. The settle- 

 ment of West Indian plants and insects which has been the subject of 

 my communication is, geologically speaking, of quite recent date and, 

 in fact, is still going on. This West Indian colony occupies, as we have 

 seen, a very modest place in Florida and certainly does not infringe upon 

 or contend with the continental foims. Some species have acquired, and 

 some others no doubt will acquire the power to change their food-habits 

 and extend their geographical range northward, but the majority will re- 

 main confined to the isolated spots covered by the semitroi)ical forest 

 and will never compete with the North American forms. Yes, this semi- 

 tropical flora and fauna stands even in imminent danger of being con- 

 siderably restricted by the agency of Man since the hammock land, on 

 account of its rich soil, is rapidly brought under cultivation. Thus the 

 once famous semitropical hammock of Lake Worth will have entirely dis- 

 ap})eared ere long. 



During my stay on the shores of Biscayne Bay I witnessed myself 

 the destruction by cultivation of some of the prettiest pieces of semitrop- 

 ical hammock land, "and if on the island of Key West the building boom, 

 which flourished at the time of my visit, holds on for only three or four 

 years, not the slightest trace will then be left of the hammock, and the 

 semitropical insect fauna of that island will be a thing of the past. Still, 



