104 The West American Scientist. 
will be made to add to and complete them in the course of time. 
The identifications have nearly all been made by able specialists 
and are hence as reliable as can be expected in the present some- 
what chaotic state of systematic biology. 
The district under consideration is about thirty miles in length 
and fifteen miles across at its broadest part. To the east it is 
bordered by the Wet Mountains and to the west by the Sangre 
de Cristo Range. The altitude is about 8,o0cofeet lower to 
the north and rising to over 13,000 feet on the peaks of the 
Sangre de Cristo. The northern portion of the valley is in Fre- 
mont county, the main portion being however in Custer county. 
The present papers will deal only with the Custer county portion 
of Wet Mountain valley (which embraces the whole of the valley 
proper, the northern part being really different in character) and 
only with altitudes below 10,000 feet, the higher altitudes proper- 
ly deserving separate consideration. A full account of the to- 
pography, geology and climate of the valley may be prepared 
later. 
LEPIDOPTERA HETEROCERA. 
For identification in this group we are indepted to Messrs. Hy. 
Edwards, H. Strecker, Rev. G. D. Hulst and Lord Walsingham, 
while some Rosita records have been contributed by Mr. H. W. 
Nash. Many species not yet clearly identified are for the present 
omited. 
1. Deilephila lineata, Fab., abundant up to 8,300 feet. 
2. Smerinthus cerisii var. astarte, Streck., one at light, by 
Swift Creek. Larvee without reasonable doubt belonging to this 
species, occur on Populus tremuldides. S. astarte, larva; forty- 
seven mill. long, apple green. Head dull, pale green, with a 
rather broad yellow stripe on each side of face, these stripes con- 
verging above, to the slightly bifid crown. Body vivid yellowish- 
green, tapering anteriorly, with numerous pale yellow points 
scattered somewhat thickly over its surface. In the subdorsal 
region these points are somewhat larger and are arranged so as 
to form a distinct but narrow subdorsal pale band, reaching 
from the second to the tenth segment. Obliquely placed above 
each abdominal spiracle (except the last) is a somewhat narrow, 
pale yellow band, the first of these bands being almost obsolete 
and the last widened and elongated, reaching up to the anal horn, 
which is about three mill. long aid straight, blue at the base 
above, otherwise purplish inclining to pink, with a black tip. 
Prolegs pink,claspers green; near Short Creek, September 5, 1888. 
Pupa, thirty-one mill. long, very dark brown, shiny, somewhat 
rugose. It is possible that this species also feeds on willow, as 
an empty egg-shell of a Smerinthus was found on a willow leaf 
at West Cliff. 
3. Hepialus pulcher, grote., near Willow Creek. 
. Gnophaela vermiculata, gr. and Rob., abundant near 
Swift Creek. When freshly emerged, the normally white parts 
a 
