6k Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



A few insects were collected at Point Barrow (cape Smyth), by the United 

 States International Polar Expedition (Murdoch), and have been provisionally 

 identified by Riley, in the report of the said expedition (Washington, 1884), 

 as follows: — 



COAST BETWEEN POINT BARHOW AND MACKENZIE DELTA 



The Arctic mountains stretch from cape Lisburne to the Mackenzie delta 

 and their foothills merge gradually into the coastal plain that reaches the 

 Arctic ocean. The beach is formed, sometimes by tundra bluffs up to 30 feet in 

 height and sometimps by low alluvial plains frin?;ed by sandpits and lagoons. 

 The chains of islands off the coast have a similar composition. The width 

 of the coastal plain is greatest at point Barrow, where it is more than 150 

 miles, but decreases to the southwest, so that the mountains are within 

 12 miles of the ocean at a point east of the 141st meridian, and the foothills 

 sometimes usurp the place of the plain. The rivers, some very large, of this 

 part of Alaska and Yukon receive many tributaries from the foothills, and when 

 these lateral creeks have finally been left behind, the watercourses run fairly 

 straight to the north, for the hills along the Mackenzie delta prevent an eastern 

 outflow. Ground ice is found to varying depths, especially west of Camden 

 bay. The vegetation is the typical Arctic tundra, best developed in valley- 

 bottoms and in the extensive coastal swamps where most of the many lakes or 

 ponds are situated (PL V. fig. 2). An enormous quantity of driftwood, from 

 the Mackenzie, lines the beach at certain places, and the coastline is subjected 

 to a continuous erosion by waves or screw-ice at some parts and upbuilding by 

 sand and gravel at others. Even where the coastal plain is missing, as east of 

 Stokes point, lagoons, sandbars, and gravel spits are formed at or near the 

 mouths of rivers. Shingle point is a conspicuous example of this, presenting 

 a shelter for boats. 



Herschel island^ and the coast opposite and eastward are well covered by 

 vegetation, which is surprisingly abundant on low or protected parts. 



The developments of plant and insect fife are so intimately connected that 

 the study of one involves the study of both, and also, of course, of climatic 

 conditions, the influence of which has been dealt with in the report on climate 

 and in Mr. F. W. L. Sladen's report.^ The development of plant-life especially 

 affects the non-predacious insects such as certain coleoptera, diptera and the 

 lepidoptera, sawflies, and bees. 



Such plants as mosses, Cassiope, Saxifraga, Ranunculus, etc., which, during 

 the melting of the snow, are immersed in water, bear green or new leaves at the 

 beginning of May — earlier than is the case with those plants that draw their 

 power only from the sun. , 



1 For topographical description see Geol. Surv., Can., Sum. Rept, 1915, p. 236, J. J. O'Neill. 



2 Report Canadian Arctic Exped., 1915-18, III, G. 1919. 



