CH. Ill] INTRODUCED ANIMALS. 129 



which was introduced some years since as a rare and 

 interesting botanical specimen. 



The rabbits in Australia are another example, whose 

 abundance in a country which might appear from the 

 nature of its fauna to be unsuitable to the higher Mam- 

 malia, has so far baffled the attempts of science to lessen 

 their numbers. Within the last few years also a species of 

 Zosterops has naturalised itself in New Zealand, this being 

 a case of colonisation not helped or caused by man. The 

 Bee-fly, Volucella, has also of late taken up its abode in 

 the same country and in other parts of the world. 



In fact plenty of examples might be cited from various 

 groups of the animal kingdom to show that there is by no 

 means always a close and inviolable connection between 

 a given animal and the habitat in which it happens to 

 flourish. 



Similarities in the faunas of distant countries. 



Dr Seitz has lately complained that a perusal of such 

 books as Mr Wallace's work upon distribution give an 

 erroneous impression of the characters of different countries. 

 He read that South America has an infinite number of 

 Cotingidse and Pipridse, both of which families of birds 

 are confined to it ; but during his visit to that continent 

 he only occasionally heard the Cotingidae, the Bell-bird 

 Chasmorhynchus to wit. On the other hand he was 

 struck by the resemblance of tropical Africa to tropical 

 America in the large beetles called by the specific names 

 of "Hercules" and "Goliath." The brightly coloured 

 B. z. 9 



