ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE MOTHS OF 



COLORADO. 



[Figs. 1-15.] 

 By a. S. PackarDj Jr., M. D. 



The following remarks are based largely on specimens of moths col- 

 lected in Colorado by Lieut. W. L. Carpenter, attached to the 

 United States geological and geographical Survey of the Territories, 

 in the summer of 1873. The material is particularly interesting as 

 throwing more light ou the alpine insect-fauna of the Eocky Mountains 

 than any collection previously made, so far as I am aware. I have also 

 been allowed, through the kindness of Mr. T. L. Mead, of jSTew York 

 City, to incorporate much valuable material collected by him at different 

 points in Colorado Territory, with the special localities and elevations 

 given. The aid thus afforded by Mr. Mead's collections is invaluable. 

 I have also received a few siiecimens from Colorado, collected and pre- 

 sented to me by Mr. Eidings, of Philadelphia. With the aid of these 

 collections, and quite a full series of Californian Leindojytera, collected by 

 Mr. H. Edwards, and a large number of Phalwnidce, obtained by Mr. G. 

 E. Crotch in Vancouver Island and neighboring localities (contained in 

 the Museum of Comparative Zoology), we are furnished with some most 

 important facts in the geographical distribution of the Lepidoptera^ and 

 particularly of the family of geometrid moths {Phalwmdw). 



First, as to the nature of the alpinre fauna of the mountains of 

 Colorado. The results obtained by Lieutenant Carpenter are extremely 

 interesting, as showing that on the peaks above a line of 12,000 feet the 

 fauna is as truly alpine as on the summits of the Alps or the top of 

 Mount Washington, in New Hampshire. Several species occur there 

 which are also found on the Swiss Alps, as well as Mount Washington, 

 and in Labrador and Greenland, at the level of the sea. 



Among the butterflies, I learn that CMonohas semidea Say, heretofore 

 only found on the summit of Mount Washington, Kew Hampshire, has 

 been discovered by Lieutenant Carpenter at the same elevation (12,000 

 feet and upward) as the moths mentioned in the following table. This 

 establishes the comjjlete identity of the faunas of the alpine summits of 

 the United States at or above the snowiline. The following table shows 

 the distribution of the five alpine and arctic Lepidoptera up to this 

 time known to inhabit the alpine summits of Colorado : 





Colorado. 



Mount 

 Washington. 



Labrador. 



Greenland. 



Iceland. 



Alps. 



Lapland. 



Chionolias semidea 



X 

 X 

 X 

 X 

 X 



X 

 X 

 X 



X 



X 

 X 

 X 



X 



X 



X 

 X 



X 





Anarta mclanopa 



AgrotiH Islanilicii 



Plusia Hocbenwarthi 



X 

 X 



Two specie of Anarta were collected by Lieutenant Carpenter in com- 

 pany with Arctia Quenselii, &c., but they were too much rubbed for 

 identification. It is possible that they were Anarta quadrilunal a ^ Grote, 

 and A. subfuscula, Grote, (recorded from Colorado in Proc. Lost. Soc. 



