30 ALASKA INSECTS 



sia palustris. On the slopes of the hill sides grew Campanula 

 lasiocarpa, Pedicularis verticillata, Circcca alpina, Anemone 

 narcissiflora, Sieversia rossii, Rhododendron kamtschaticum, 

 Sah'x spp., and Alnus sinuata, with occasional stunted bushes 

 of Sambucus. The hill tops, at an elevation of 1,000 feet and 

 over, were the homes of beautiful alpine plants, delicate saxi- 

 frages, the curious Chrysosplenium beringianum, the dwarf 

 dandelion, tiny Cruciferce, and the beautiful alpine poppy. 



The number of species of insects collected during the ten 

 days of our stay on Popof Island was 282. It seems worth 

 while to consider these somewhat in detail, as studies of insular 

 faunas are always interesting from the point of view of geo- 

 graphic distribution. Of the entire series 90 species have been 

 described as new. Of these, 70 were found on Popof Island 

 only, so that so far as the record goes their distribution is limited 

 to this station. Of the 282 species, 22 were collected at Sitka, 

 54 at Kukak, and 31 at Kadiak, while 11 were European species 

 not previously known to exist on the American continent. The 

 number new to the fauna of Alaska must represent a very large 

 percentage of the total. 



As usual the Diptera formed the principal element in the 

 insect fauna, comprising over 100 species. Of these, 30 were 

 obtained solely on Popof Island, 40 on Popof and also at 

 Kukak Bay, and 18 on Popof and also at Sitka. Ten species 

 were European forms new to America. Among the novelties 

 in this group may be mentioned the following — Mycetophilidae : 

 JVeoemphcria kincaidi sp. nov. Coq. ; Chironomidce : Ceralo- 

 pogon arcticus sp. nov. Coq. ; Ccratopogon fcmoratus Fabr., a 

 European species new to America ; Empidae : Empis infumata 

 sp. nov. Coq., Empis laniventris Eschs. (notable on account 

 of the enormous numbers in which it occurred at the flowers of 

 Geranium erianthum), Rhamphomyia villipcs sp. nov. Coq., 

 Platypalpus diversipes sp. nov. Coq., Platypalpus gilvipcs sp. 

 nov. Coq. ; Dolichopodidas : Dolichopus barycncmis sp. nov. 

 Coq., Dolichopus festinans Zett. (new to American lists), Doli- 

 chopus plumipcs Fall, (also new to America) ; Syrphidaa : Platy- 

 chirus albimanus (Fabr.), an addition to American lists ; An- 

 thomyidae : Lasiops calvicrura sp. nov. Coq., Hylemyia spini- 



