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of Kilauea, a locality where insect life is particularly abundant, 

 and which is situated at an elevation of four thousand feet in the 

 forest region on the slopes of the lofty mountain, Mauna Loa. 

 Here, for reasons that I shall subsequently state, a very large 

 number of species of insects are to be found within a very limited 

 area. 



Like most productive localities in the islands the neighbor- 

 hood of Kilauea is moderately dry and fine weather is the rule 

 there. In this it contrasts very strongly with the country a few 

 miles to the North-east, and at a lower elevaton; where day after 

 day may be passed in drenching rain, while at the same time at 

 Kilauea the forenoons at least are bright and sunny, though later 

 in the day the whole country may be wrapped in dense white 

 mist. 



In order that the cause of the richness of this very limited 

 locality may be understood, the number of species that are found 

 being far greater than one would expect in so comparatively re- 

 cent a portion of the islands, I will give a brief account of the 

 country in the immediate neighborhood of the crater, dividing 

 it into three districts. 



(1) The crater itself is surrounded by a nearly level plain, 

 which on the west side supports a stunted and more or less 

 sparse vegetation. This consists of small examples of the 

 Myrtaceous "Ohia" tree {Metrosiderus) some of which are almost 

 sure to be found in full bloom at all seasons of the year ; beneath 

 and between these the Epacridaceous Cyathodes, a New Zealand 

 or Australian element of the flora, and the very variable Vacci- 

 nium reticulatum are conspicuous, together with species of Copros- 

 ma and Raillardia and, in moister and shadier spots especially, 

 various species of Cyperaceae and the lilaceous Astelia, Dianella 

 and Smilax. 



This comparatively open, and in some parts very exposed, 

 country is the home of many interesting insects not found in 

 the adjoining and better wooded parts. Towards Kilauea-iki 

 and southwards the growth is more dense, the ground is damper 

 and the moisture-loving species of plants more numerous, but 

 this denser forest lacks many of the species conspicuous on the 

 open plain. . 



