ALASKA INSECTS 



The last day was spent in exploring the district at the west- 

 ern side of the glacier. Among the morainic material left be- 

 hind by the ice in its retreat, numerous plants soon take root, 

 among the very first being the willow-herb ( Chamcenerion lati- 

 jblmm), the brilliant blossoms of which brighten the shattered 

 rocks. The only insects captured at the flowers of this species 

 were the Syrphid Platychirns aeratus Coq., and, more abun- 

 dantly, Limnophora nobilis Zett. and Span/a edeta Walker, 

 the latter one of the few representatives of the Xylophagidae 

 found in Alaska. Many minute Ichneumonidae also were taken 

 in the sweep net, and several of these were subsequently found 

 to be new. 



Above the western edge of the glacier, on a ledge of glacial 

 debris, several small ponds were discovered in which a large 

 number of aquatic Coleoptera and Hemiptera disported them- 

 selves. Of the latter there were two species, Corisa convexa 

 Fieber and Corisa prceusta Fieber. The beetles were of three 

 species, Deroncctes griseostriatus DeG., Hydroporus signatus 

 Dej., and Agabus tristis Aube. Of the last-mentioned species 

 numerous larvae were also secured beneath the debris along the 

 shore. In the same pond were numbers of caddice-fly larvae, 

 but only one adult insect was taken. It has been described by 

 Mr. Banks as Asynarchus fumosus sp. nov. 



Apterygota were quite common under the stones upon the 

 moraines. Four species were taken, three of which were new 

 to science, Entomobrya kincaidi Folsom, Papirius palmatus 

 Folsom, and Machilis arctica Folsom. The Arachnida were 

 well represented at this point, since fifteen species, including 

 three new forms, were collected without any special effort. 

 Myriapoda were not common, the only species found being 

 Conotyla atrolineata (Bollman). 



June 14-17- — The neighborhood of Sitka has been perhaps 

 more carefully investigated than any other section of Alaska. 

 Here the Russian naturalists made their most important col- 

 lections, and those who have followed in their footsteps have 

 usually made Sitka their rendezvous. And with very good 



