INSECTS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 551 



Family CULICIDAE. 



Arctic regions are notorious on account of the prevalence of mosquitoes, so that 

 the absence of the pests on the Pribilof Islands, as noted by Mr. Elliott, is certainly a 

 fact worth recording. He says: "Then, again, perhaps this is the only place in all 

 Alaska where man, primitive and civilized, is not cursed by mosquitoes." 



Family TIPULIDAE. 

 Trichocera sp. 



A single specimen collected by Mr. Barrett-Hamilton. To this or an allied species 



I am inclined to refer the "gnat" mentioned by Mr. Elliott which "flits about in 



in large swarms, but it is inoffensive and seeks shelter in the grass." 



Tipulid. 



A single larva from Mr. Barrett- Hamilton's collection from St. Paul indicates a 

 larger species than the Trichocera just mentioned. 



Family MUSCIDAE. 

 Calliphora obsccena Eschscholtz. 



Four specimens collected by Mr. Barrett-Hamilton; originally described from 

 Unalaska from specimens found on the ocean beach. This is unquestionably the 

 large flesh fly mentioned by Mr. Elliott, but quite incorrectly named by him Bom- 

 hyl'ms major. He says that it "appears during the summer and settles in a striking 

 manner upon the backs of the loafing natives or strings itself in rows of millions 

 upon the long grass blades which flourish over the killing grounds [of the seals], 

 especially on the leaf stalks of the Elymus, causing this vegetation on the whole 

 slaughtering field and vicinity to fairly drop to earth, as if beaten down by a tornado 

 of wind and rain. It makes the landscape look as though it had molded in the night, 

 and the fungoid spores were blue and gray." The larva lives, no doubt, in the 

 carcasses of the slaughtered seals, and the species has enormously increased in 

 individuals in consequence of the sealing industry on the islands. 



The absence of the common house fly, Musca domestica, noted by Elliott, deserves 

 mention. 



Family CORDYLURIDAE. 

 Scatophaga squalida Meigen. 



Three specimens collected by Mr. Barrett-Hamilton. Previously known from 

 temperate and boreal Europe and North America. 



Scatophaga diadema Wiedemann. 



Three spjBcimens collected by Mr. Barrett-Hamilton. Previously known from 

 Montevideo (Uruguay) and Labrador. 



Scatophaga dasythrix Becker. 



Eleven specimens collected by Mr. Barrett-Hamilton. The type locality is "Ber- 

 ing Straits." No other locality is known for this species. 



Scatophaga sp. 



A single specimen collected by Mr. Barrett-Hamilton. 



