INSECTS COLLECTED ON MOUNT FUJI. 



By M. MATSÏJMÛRA. 



Entomological Laboratory, Agricultural College, Sapporo. 



Mt. Fuji as a collecting ground is noted from former days since the French 

 Jesuits, as Abbé David and others trod the unbeaten path of entomological 

 field, somewhat more than thirty years ago. 



The time which is yearly allowed the public to ascend the mount, is from 

 the latter part of July to the middle of September, especially for the purpose of 

 religious devotion. Many foreign as well as native entomologists visit it every 

 year. There are many insects which are peculiar to this mountain, and the 

 species which are commonly found here are found to be rarer as we come down to- 

 ward the foot. Ihecia ibara, T. orsedice, Niphundus fusca, Psychodrophia nela- 

 nargia, Schistomira funeralis (Bekkocho), Carabus fujiaanus, Panorpa leucoplera, 

 etc. are all noted insects here ; while many others have a close resemblance to 

 those of Hokkaido. 



I visited Mt. Fuji on July 21st and stayed there three days, devoting my 

 time to the collection of insects. To say the truth, it was too early for collect- 

 ing, and the noted insects known to be found here were not captured in my net, 

 with a few exceptions. During my rambles I found Tarobo to be one of the best 

 places for collecting. Here many trees and shrubs flourished, many flowers 

 blossomed constantly and attracted gorgeous papilionids, such as Papilio deme- 

 trius, P. alcinous. The other common lepidopterous insects found near around 

 here were the diurnals as NepAis Pryeri, Lycœna Pryeri, Terias lœla, Syntomis 

 thelebus, Abraxas eurymedes, Vdhora agrionides. At night many heterocerous 

 insects came to the light. Among them were the following ones : Clmrocampa 

 elphenor, Spilosoma seratopunciata, S. meulhaslri, Cymatophora 2 sp., Iderodes 

 jaguaria, Hypena rhombalis etc. As I ascended from " Tarob® " about five 

 cho, I found that trees and shrubs suddenly gave way to dwarf shrubs and 

 weeds, and next when I came to a place about 4,000 feet high no plants 

 were to be seen except Ontade — Polygonum polymorphum var. japonicum, 

 and a few shoots of a thistle, Lenicus sp. The Polygonum were matted here and 

 there on the volcanic ashy soil and a few hypenid moths only flew away as they 

 were disturbed. On ascending still further I came to the region occupied by 



