Scientific Results of an Excursion to the Hea Rwer Mountains 89 
As even on this cloudy day the temperature of the air was 15° Fahr. 
above the freezing-point, the melting of the snow is very rapid, and 
yet we found it over ten feet deep in some places. That the insolation 
of an African sun is particularly strong was shown by many astone which 
stood isolated in the midst of the snow-fields. Mr. Meiring informs me 
that even in January he found it in sheltered spots three feet deep, and 
it would be interesting to know when the last snow really disappears. 
Not numerous but interesting are the discoveries in natural history, 
especially in entomology and botany. 
Mr, Lightfoot reports on his finds as follows : 
‘The beetles were fairly numerous both as regards specimens and 
species, some forty kinds being caught during the two days. 
‘Several common round Cape Town were caught, including Cicindela 
lurida, Onitis appelles, Julodis fascicularis, Lycus rostratus, Mylabris 
Capensis, Ceroplesis Authiops. 
‘Three species, Peritrichia guttata, a species of Lepetriz, and Zonitis 
morio, have also been taken in Little Namaqualand. The latter was 
here taken only on Lebeckia cytisoides, a South-western plant. 
‘A species of Hoplocnemis, Monochelus, and a Julodis (the two latter 
new to science), are, as far as is known at present, only found in this 
district.’ 
On the mountain itself I found only two beetles, one specimen of 
Hipporhinus deplorobundus, Fahr., not recorded since its discovery, fifty 
years ago by Wahlberg, and one, Trichostetha, which I unfortunately 
lost. 
So much greater was my surprise when I reached the snow-fields 
near the summit and noticed numerous small black insects on them, I 
at once sat down on the snow and began collecting some, but the little 
things jumped away and buried themselves in the snow with great 
alacrity ; so, in order to capture them, I had to take the lumps of snow 
in which they were hidden. Fortunately, I had a small tin box with 
me, which I filled hurriedly in this way, thinking that the insects were 
all alike. 
If my friends had not been so eager to descend, I would have 
collected many more and searched on different fields, As it was, 
however, I had to hasten on with my observations and then rush 
down. I did not have a chance of examining these insects until I 
returned to town, when I saw that they were little flies, and I also 
noticed some difference between them. On microscopic inspection, I 
found that I had two kinds of bugs and nine different species of flies, 
belonging to widely-separated tribes.* If so many species are among 
* A friend of mine who has examined them reports: ‘ Among these Diptera are 
new species of Sciara, Phora, Sepsis, and other genera,’ 
