B. C. ENTOMOLOGICAL PROCEEDINGS, 1912. 79 



MOUNTAIN FAUNA. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, — 



The title which our Secretary has given, "Mountain Fauna," em- 

 braces a very large field, and in the present paper I have neither the 

 knowledge nor the space to do more than touch on a few points of this 

 deeply interesting subject ; but if these few observations cause anyone 

 to take a deeper interest in this study, I shall feel amply repaid. 



We notice as we ascend into the higher altitude, that the flora 

 and fauna change in their character completely. In some instances 

 this change is gradual ; in others there is a distinct line of demarkation. 

 I notice the latter in a very marked degree in the Vermillion Pass. 



In ascending the mountain side, the Balsam gradually decreased 

 in size, and at about 7,000 feet entirely disappeared. Immediately above 

 this was a belt of Lyall's Larch or Tamarack, some of the trees attain- 

 ing a diameter of over two feet. Above this belt of some 300 or 400 

 feet all timber disappeared. 



Just at timber line I observed several specimens of Ocncis: 1 think 

 it was chryxus, but as none were captured the specie^ could not be 

 determined. 



At an elevation of 8,000 to 10,000 feet we observed Ocncis noma, 

 fairly common. The color of this insect makes it very difficult to see, 

 as the under side of the wing has the appearance of a rock covered with 

 lichen, and it has the peculiar habit of dropping on its side as soon 

 as it lights. 



At about the same elevation we occasionally see that very rare and 

 showy tiger-moth, Neoarctia yarrowi, variety remissa. I saw nine or 

 ten of these moths last year, two of which I captured. I have never 

 seen it below 8,500 feet. 



Some of our common butterflies are found at quite high eleva- 

 tions, the swallow-tails, Papillio rutulus, eurymedon and zolicaon, also 

 the whites, Pontia, occidentalis, napi and rapae, the orange-tips, the 

 painted lady, the tortoise-shells, and the sulphurs, we find as high as 

 9,000 feet. 



In our mountain valleys, at an altitude of 4,000 to 7,000 feet, we 

 find a great variety of in.sect life. The wood-boring beetles and horn- 

 tail flies are very noticeable. In fact the mountains are the happy 

 hunting ground for a lover of nature. 



We move up from the temperate zone and in a few hours are 

 in the arctic, with all the vegetable, insect and animal life we would 

 find in the .'\rctic Circle. 



