428 Mr. H. Scott on 



delayed by heavy rain, aiul at the summit found ourselves in 

 a chilly driving cloud, the difference of temperature between 

 this place and the lowlands being so great that one gladly 

 sought the shelter of the house. Later the cloud rolled off, 

 disclosing a magnificent view^ southward over the low-lying 

 level central part of the island, and northward over those 

 peaks and forests and that l)eautiful northern coast which 

 form the subject of one of the most charming chapters in 

 Kingsley's ' At Last.' 



In contrast with the climatic conditions on the mountain, 

 the country in the lowlands was extremely parched, the dry 

 season being at its height, and a severe drought, such as had 

 not been experienced for years, prevailing in addition. But 

 in the mountain-forests moisture is perennial, and tlie water 

 between the bromeliad leaves would never dry up — an 

 important fact with reference to the amphibious and aquatic 

 nature of the bromeliad fauna. 



During the hour spent on the summit we collected a 

 sample of this i'auna. One or two plants of a species of 

 Tillandsia were taken by Mr. Urich from two or three feet 

 abjvc the ground (it being very difficult to get at specimens 

 perched in lofty trees) and brought into the house, w^here 

 the leaves were stripped off one by one, from outside inwards. 

 In the water and liumiis between their bases were found the 

 following :— 



Two specimens of a small frog; a millipede; crustaceans 

 (Isopoda) ; Odonate larvae, about which I shall say nothing, 

 as they are being further investigated by Mr. tiricli ; an 

 earwig, determined by Dr. Burr as an immature Psalid, 

 perhaps Psalis americana ; numbers of a new species of 

 cockronch, Homa/optery.v scotti (described below by Shelford), 

 adults of both sexes and young in several stages; large 

 numbers of a Coleopterous laiva, either of or allied to the 

 genus Helodes (mentioned again below) ; a series of a new 

 Dytiscid beetle, Aglymbus bromeliariim (described below) ; 

 several of a new Hydrophilid, Cyclonotum. urichi (described 

 below) ; four specimens of a species of Trichopteryx (deter- 

 mination of the genus due to Mr, H. Britten) ; a single 

 specimen of a Thysanopteron, determined by Mr. R. S. Bagnall 

 as a species of Eupathithrips Bagn.*; and, lastly, a number 

 of a new Hemipteron, Microvelia insignis Distant (described 

 below). 



Of these the Dytiscid (^Aglymbus), the Microvelia, the 

 Odonate larvae, and the Helodine larvae are purely aquatic 



* =Keterothnps Buft'a {nee Rood), = Poli/o?)imatot/in'ps Buffa (teste 

 Bagnall). 



