EXPEDITION TO THE BLACK MOUNTAINS 213 



on the floating tule islands where they are secure from the attack 

 of predaceous mammals. 



The background to this group will show some of the many 

 bird-inhabited islets, while thirty miles away snow-crowned Mt. 

 Shasta rising impressively, dominates the scene. 



The Government has selected these lakes for reclamation 



by drainage. The work is already well advanced, and the birds 



will soon find that they have failed to secure title to their homes 



through proper entry at the land office. The nine points of 



possession will yield to the one of might, and alfalfa will grow 



where the Pelicans, Gulls and Terns now raise their young. The 



Museum is fortunate, therefore, in securing material for this 



group before the demands of civilization shall have forced the 



birds to abandon the region. 



Frank M. Chapman. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL EXPEDITION TO THE BLACK MOUN- 

 TAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



HE generosity of Mr. Samuel V. Hoft'man enabled the 

 Curator of the Department of Entomology to 

 make a visit, lasting from June 20 to October i, 

 to the Black Mountains in western North Carolina. 

 This trip was in continuation of the work of pre- 

 vious years in the same region through funds provided by the 

 late Very Reverend Eugene A. Hoffman. 



The object of this trip was to collect species and data not 

 before obtained. In this respect the expedition was only partly 

 successful owing to the heavy and unusual rain and fog which 

 prevailed throughout the season. Still a large number of ex- 

 ceedingly interesting species and of species new to science were 

 collected, particularly of bees, wasps, flies, beetles, as well as 

 representatives of other orders of insects. 



Many new species, of insect galls and their makers were bred 

 and four specimens of the beautiful, metallic green long-horn 

 beetle {Anthophylax hoffmani), named in honor of the late Very 

 Reverend Eugene A. Hoffman, were taken in the dense balsam 

 forests which cover the summit of the Black Mountains. A figure 

 of this insect was published in the Museum Journal, Vol. IV, 

 page II. In all, at least 8,000 specimens w^ere collected. 



