90 Journal New Yokk Entomological Society. L^'°'- ^^• 



very unsatisfactory, however. In Mono Lake, where I made most of 

 my observations on this species, there seemed ahiiost nothing in the 

 beautiful, clear water of a vegetable nature. This larva and the brine 

 shrimp Artciiiia moiiica were the only visible animals. 



When the larvae have reached their full size, the outer integument 

 hardens into the puparium. Before this takes place the insect has 

 already assumed the fusiform shape of that stage, and has taken a 

 firm hold on some solid object for attachment. The hold is taken 

 by grasping the object between the last prolegs and the next pair 

 forward, or the second pair forward. They attach to any firm object, 

 roots of vegetation being much used. At the small Soda Lake in 

 Nevada, I took up a piece of string out of the water which was 

 literally covered. They often attach to each other, and sometimes 

 an empty but still attached puparium is utilized by thrusting the last 

 two or three segments into the open end and pressing the next pro- 

 legs against the outside. When the larva contracts into the pupa, the 

 space left within the i)uparium becomes full of gas, so that the insect 

 floats if detached, although normally it remains in the bottom of the 

 lake. The fly on emergence is enveloped in the bubble of gas. and 

 floats at once to the surface: this process I witnessed several times. 



Mono Lake is subject to violent winds in the latter part of sum- 

 mer, and the disturbance of the lake loosens many of the puparia, 

 so that they float to the surface and wash ashore. The late Professor 

 Wm. H. Brewer, of Yale, made some observations here in July, 1863: 

 I quote a portion of his letter to Williston (published by Williston, 

 Trans. Conn. Acad., July, 1883) : 



" They drift up in heaps along the shore, and hundreds of bitshcls 

 could be collected ! They only grow at certain seasons of the year, 

 and then Indians come from far and near to gather them for food. 

 The worms are dried in the sun, the shell rubbed oft' by hand, when 

 a yellowish kernel remains, like a small yellowish grain of rice. 

 This is oilv, very nutritious, and not unpleasant to the taste, and, 

 under the name of koo-cliah-bcc (so pronounced), forms a very 

 important article of food. . . . My guide, an old hunter there, told 

 me that everything fattens in the season of koo-chah-bcc ; that ducks 

 get very fat, but their flesh tastes unpleasantly from it. and the Indians 

 get fat and sleek." 



My stay at Mono Lake was July 21-24. 191 1, and I was informed 



