﻿90 
  

  

  of 
  Kilauea, 
  a 
  locality 
  where 
  insect 
  life 
  is 
  particularly 
  abundant, 
  

   and 
  which 
  is 
  situated 
  at 
  an 
  elevation 
  of 
  four 
  thousand 
  feet 
  in 
  the 
  

   forest 
  region 
  on 
  the 
  slopes 
  of 
  the 
  lofty 
  mountain, 
  Mauna 
  Loa. 
  

   Here, 
  for 
  reasons 
  that 
  I 
  shall 
  subsequently 
  state, 
  a 
  very 
  large 
  

   number 
  of 
  species 
  of 
  insects 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  found 
  within 
  a 
  very 
  limited 
  

   area. 
  

  

  Like 
  most 
  productive 
  localities 
  in 
  the 
  islands 
  the 
  neighbor- 
  

   hood 
  of 
  Kilauea 
  is 
  moderately 
  dry 
  and 
  fine 
  weather 
  is 
  the 
  rule 
  

   there. 
  In 
  this 
  it 
  contrasts 
  very 
  strongly 
  with 
  the 
  country 
  a 
  few 
  

   miles 
  to 
  the 
  North-east, 
  and 
  at 
  a 
  lower 
  elevaton 
  ; 
  where 
  day 
  after 
  

   day 
  may 
  be 
  passed 
  in 
  drenching 
  rain, 
  while 
  at 
  the 
  same 
  time 
  at 
  

   Kilauea 
  the 
  forenoons 
  at 
  least 
  are 
  bright 
  and 
  sunny, 
  though 
  later 
  

   in 
  the 
  day 
  the 
  whole 
  country 
  may 
  be 
  wrapped 
  in 
  dense 
  white 
  

   mist. 
  

  

  In 
  order 
  that 
  the 
  cause 
  of 
  the 
  richness 
  of 
  this 
  very 
  limited 
  

   locality 
  may 
  be 
  understood, 
  the 
  number 
  of 
  species 
  that 
  are 
  found 
  

   being 
  far 
  greater 
  than 
  one 
  would 
  expect 
  in 
  so 
  comparatively 
  re- 
  

   cent 
  a 
  portion 
  of 
  the 
  islands, 
  I 
  will 
  give 
  a 
  brief 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  

   country 
  in 
  the 
  immediate 
  neighborhood 
  of 
  the 
  crater, 
  dividing 
  

   it 
  into 
  three 
  districts. 
  

  

  (1) 
  The 
  crater 
  itself 
  is 
  surrounded 
  by 
  a 
  nearly 
  level 
  plain, 
  

   which 
  on 
  the 
  west 
  side 
  supports 
  a 
  stunted 
  and 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  

   sparse 
  vegetation. 
  This 
  consists 
  of 
  small 
  examples 
  of 
  the 
  

   Myrtaceous 
  "Ohia" 
  tree 
  (Metrosiderus) 
  some 
  of 
  which 
  are 
  almost 
  

   sure 
  to 
  be 
  found 
  in 
  full 
  bloom 
  at 
  all 
  seasons 
  of 
  the 
  year 
  ; 
  beneath 
  

   and 
  between 
  these 
  the 
  Epacridaceous 
  Cyathodes, 
  a 
  New 
  Zealand 
  

   or 
  Australian 
  element 
  of 
  the 
  flora, 
  and 
  the 
  very 
  variable 
  Vacci- 
  

   nium 
  reticulatum 
  are 
  conspicuous, 
  together 
  with 
  species 
  of 
  Copros- 
  

   nia 
  and 
  Raillardia 
  and, 
  in 
  moister 
  and 
  shadier 
  spots 
  especially, 
  

   various 
  species 
  of 
  Cyperaceae 
  and 
  the 
  lilaceous 
  Astelia, 
  Dianella 
  

   and 
  Smilax. 
  

  

  This 
  comparatively 
  open, 
  and 
  in 
  some 
  parts 
  very 
  exposed, 
  

   country 
  is 
  the 
  home 
  of 
  many 
  interesting 
  insects 
  not 
  found 
  in 
  

   the 
  adjoining 
  and 
  better 
  wooded 
  parts. 
  Towards 
  Kilauea-iki 
  

   and 
  southwards 
  the 
  growth 
  is 
  more 
  dense, 
  the 
  ground 
  is 
  damper 
  

   and 
  the 
  moisture-loving 
  species 
  of 
  plants 
  more 
  numerous, 
  but 
  

   this 
  denser 
  forest 
  lacks 
  many 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  conspicuous 
  on 
  the 
  

   open 
  plain. 
  . 
  

  

  