132 Entomological Papers. [No. 2. 



period ; the same fact has been very generally ascertained in the 

 western Himalayas as well as in the Kuenlueu. 



The decrease of glaciers is comparatively small, but general ; no 

 traces of a very large ancient extension of glaciers, like the one sup- 

 posed by some geologists to have taken place in a general " glacial 

 period" in the Alps, could be found in the mountains of High 

 Asia. 



The decrease of glaciers as observed by us must be due to some 

 general chauge in the climate of the surrounding country, and I 

 think that we have numerous observations to show that this change 

 of climate is due in a great measure to the great excavation of the 

 Thibetan and Himalayan valleys by the action of the rivers. 



Many of the valleys of Western Thibet exhibit ancient water 

 marks at 3,000 and 4,000 feet above the present bed of the river. 

 The sides of these rocky valleys, thus gradually excavated, are now 

 heated under the influence of the sun to a much greater extent than 

 was the case formerly ; the warm air thus produced, ascends the 

 valleys and tends to melt the ice of the glaciers, near- the origin of 

 the valleys, to a greater extent than was the case before the ex- 

 cavation of the valleys had taken place. 



Entomological Papers* by John Nietner, Colombo, Ceylon, 



43 Cyclosomus dyticoides. JST. 



C. suborbicularis, depressus, obscure castaneus, elytris piceis 

 fasciis 2 testaceis ornatis, pedibus brunneo — testaceis, tarsis, anten- 

 nis oreque raagis minusve brunueis. Long. Corp. 4| — 5 lin ; lat. 

 2i— 3 lin. 



Antennae art. 3-11 depressis. Thorax transversus antice profuude 

 semilunariter sinuatus ; basi quadratus, medio leviter subquadrate 

 emarginatus, elytris parum angustior, ante scutellum subtiliter stri- 

 gosus ; apicem versus sensim angustatus. Elytra basi subquadrata, 

 striata, fasciis 2 (una subhumerali, altera subapicali) transversali- 

 bus, interrupts, interstitia 2-8 oeeupantibus, testaceis ornata. 



* Continued from No. VI.— 1856, p. 554. 



