Art. XXV.— The Coleoptera of the Alpine Rocky 

 ITIoitntaiii Regions.— Part II.* 



By John L.. I^eConte, M. D. 



I.— INTEODUCTOEY EEMAEKS. 



The following important contribution to our knowledge of the Coleop- 

 tera of the high mountains of Colorado is based upon a collection made 

 by Mr. E. A. Schwarz during a short visit to Garland, La Yeta, and 

 Veta Pass, Col., and Alamosa, on the Eio Grande, during the months 

 of June and July, 1878. 



Though the time of exploration was very short, the well-known skill 

 and industry of Mr. Schwarz have enabled him to greatly increase the 

 materials at our disposal for the investigation of the distribution of 

 Coleoptera in the interior of the continent. 



It is needless for me on the present occasion to analyze the contents 

 of the list here given as I have done in my first memoir (Bull. IV, 447), 

 since I have there exposed fully my views concerning the manner in 

 which such an investigation should be made, and the kind of inferences 

 which may be legitimately drawn from it, when it is based upon suffi- 

 cient large collections. 



I postpone this labor the more cheerfully, because the growing sense 

 of the importance of the results to be derived from the careful collection 

 of the smaller, and probably more permanent forms of animals, with 

 reference to their habits and geographical distribution, convinces me 

 that a more enlightened policy may perhaps soon be adopted, in the 

 great geographical and geological surveys under the direction of gov- 

 ernment officials, by which investigators may be furnished with properly 

 collected materials from regions which it is not in the power of citizens 

 unprotected by a strong guard to visit ; or which are so distant and 

 inaccessible that they cannot be visited by persons of ordinary resources, 

 however zealous in scientific labor. 



• It is proper, however, that I should here mention the most important 

 additions to our fauna which are made known in this memoir. They 

 are — 



Bemhidium riibiginosum, n. sp., a brown species, of quite different type 

 from any heretofore found in North America. 



*Part I. appeared in this BuUetin, Vol. IV, No. 2, Art. XX, pp. 447-480, May, 

 1878.— Ed. 499 



