2IO ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [September, 



A NOTE ON THE INSECTS OF THE TORTUGAS. 



By H. F. WiCKHAM, Iowa City, Iowa. 



The Tortugas Keys, or Dry f ortugas, as they are often called, 

 are a cluster of low sandy islets lying fifty-four miles to the west- 

 ward of Key West, and are practically on the southern limit of the 

 domain of the United States. They rise from a bank of coral 

 and coral sand about ten miles long northeast and southwest, 

 and four or five miles in breadth. Barren in character, but little 

 vegetation has obtained a foothold here excepting two or three 

 species of bushes and such plants as have been set out by the few 

 inhabitants who, in the capacity of government health officers or 

 light-house employes, make these lonely litde Keys their home. 

 Some of the older trees were, however, planted by the garrison of 

 Fort Jefferson during the time of the military usefulness of that 

 now practically abandoned post. 



But two of these islets are inhabited — Garden Key and Log- 

 gerhead Key ; the former lies somewhat near the center of the 

 group and is of some thirteen acres in extent most of which is 

 enclosed by the walls of the fort, an immense and useless fortifi- 

 cation once mounting scores of heavy guns, now rapidly going 

 to decay and used only as a quarantine station against yellow 

 fever posts. It was on account of quarantine regulations that 

 the writer, in common with the other members of the " Bahama 

 Expedition " from the State University of Iowa, just from Cuba, 

 made an enforced visit to this collecting ground which would 

 scarcely be chosen as a productive field by any entomologist in 

 spite of the richness of the marine life in the vicinity. 



What could one expect to find on these little sandy Keys 

 lying such a distance from any large land area and dependent for 

 their insect fauna upon the caprice of the wind, the drift of the 

 Gulf stream or the accidental importations of man ? Not much, 

 certainly ; and not much was found in the few hours that could 

 be devoted to search for entomological booty on the narrow 

 beaches and scant flora. The few captures are recorded, how- 

 ever, as a contribution to the knowledge of the fauna of a spot 

 that has hitherto cut no figure in entomological literature. 



Beginning on the 7th of June a few hours were spent each day 

 in collecting, as opportunity offered for going ashore, until the 

 1 3th, and the scant list of beetles appended represents all that 



