158 THE entomologist's record. 



Extended Synopsis. 

 (7) As type — but all markings most obscure = ab. iDiiculor, n. ab. 

 ^8) As (1), ashy-grey, with dark central band = ab. c'uierea, n. ab. 

 (9) Almost sri//, but contrasts not so marked, and brownish instead of black 

 = ab. appro.vbnata, n. ab. 



Of 99 specimens taken at Mucking — 53 are typical, 24 males and 

 29 females ; 3-4 ab. unicolur, 18 males and 16 females; '6, ^h. cincrca, 

 3 females ; 5 ab. aitproximata, 2 males and 3 females ; 4 ab. lunebur- 

 (jemia, 2 males and 2 females. These give a total of 46 males and 58 

 females. 



Insects from the higher latitudes of North America. 



Of the many interesting volumes puljlislied by the University of 

 Iowa, that entitled J'Lrphiratiunti i)i the Far Xorth,'''- by Frank Russell, 

 which has just come to hand, is one of the most so. It is, however, a 

 book for the general naturalist rather than the entomologist, and is a 

 report of an expedition made in 1892, 1893, and 1894, in the country 

 lying between the Rocky Mountains on the west, Hudson Bay on the 

 east, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, and deals with various 

 branches of scientific observation and research which the author under- 

 took in these little known districts. Besides a most interesting account 

 of the Indians who live in the district, their habits, myths, &c., there 

 are full lists of mammals, birds, fishes, _ and insects met with, accom- 

 panied in many instances by full and copious notes. It is, however, 

 only the insects that interest us here, and these, of course, from the 

 point of view of the light thrown on the circumpolar fauna known to 

 be common to the Holarctic region of North America, and north 

 Europe and Asia. Unfortunately the insects collected on this expedi- 

 tion are comparatively few in number, in consequence of the time 

 being fully taken up with more conspicuous forms of life, and apart 

 from a locust {Melanajilits bivittattis, Say), a humble-bee, a Phryganeid, 

 and a dipteron {DilopJntfi), all from Grand Rapids, they belong to the 

 orders Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, and, in general, represent species 

 which are characteristic of, or common in, the pine-covered regions 

 of Canada and the country of the Great Lakes, some, indeed, extend- 

 ing far south of the Canadian boundary. 



Among the species obtained the following are noted : — Euvane^ita 

 antiopa, several specimens of which were obtained at Fort Rae in 

 August. Aijlais niilhcrti, a species, if distinct, very closely allied to A. 

 nrticae, from Fort Rae. Attants cecropia, also from Fort Rae. 



The Coleoptera were more representative : — Traclujpachjs imrmis, 

 Bemhidium varii'ijatKDi, Ptcrostichiis ritreus (orinomi(s), Amara erratica, 

 Platyniis sinuatiis, P. obsuletns (= P. bo(iemanni) , P. picipennis, and 

 Harpaliis basilaris among the Carabidae. Ili/bius plenriticus represented 

 the Dytiscids, and was taken on the ice on Slave Lake. (Ti/rinus macidi- 

 ventris, among the (ri/rinidac ; Hi/drubius fiiscijjcs, the Hi/drophilidae ; 

 XecnijdtnrKs pustidatns var. mcishcinicri, and Sil2)ha lappona, the 

 SilpJiidae : Arpcdiiaii cribratiim, the StopJi>jU)udac ; L'ocvinella trans- 

 reys()(itittata and i'occinella nionticola, the CoccinelUdae : Conjnibites 

 inondnti, the FAateridae : Plcerca towbrosa and Mda)iophila lumjipcs, the 

 Bitprcstidae : Kllychnia corrusca, the Lmiipyridac ; Merium protcnui, 



* Explorations in tlie Far North, Frank Russell, 289 pp., map., and many 

 illustrations, 1898. [rublished by the University of Iowa, U.S.A.] 



