13 



In the Hawk Moths the species are all usually readily se- 

 parable. I have shown in the Lepidoptera the existence of 

 J'nif/fitrni, that is of generic groups of forms which are 

 nearer related to each other than is usually the case; which 

 are. perhaps, in some stages of growth undistinguishable. 

 Such genera are Hcmifmrti, /tn/tmn. X<nfnfn, etc. We may 

 conclude that these species are of recent separation. In the 

 Hawk Moths such instances may be offered perhaps by the 

 typical group of Hriimrix and again by Enyo. The necess- 

 ary studies on this point are, however, wanting. We may 

 regard theoretically all species as only relatively stable; 

 practically we have to find out the cycle of reproduction 

 and be guided by these results in our nomenclature. 



Butterflies and Moths can be collected every where in 

 the habitable globe. Even the Arctic regions are not with- 

 out their species, while it seems likely that certain Moths 

 still show themselves in the farthest North when the Butter- 

 flies have ceased to fly. With a change of Continent we 

 have also a change in the kinds of insects. As we approach 

 the Tropics, Butterflies mid Moths become more plentiful in 

 kinds. But, even in the same degree of latitude, there is 

 a difference in the numbers of the individual species to be 

 observed in different quarters of the globe. Thus it has 

 always seemed to me that Butterflies und Moths were more 

 plentiful in America than in Europe. And, as a whole, I 

 think the American Lepidoptera are gayer, more beautiful 

 and certainly more numerous in species. In this connection 

 I remember what Linnaeus wrote about American plants: 

 Nescio quae fato facies laeta glabra plantis Americanis ! 



While I am writing this in my European exile, I hear 

 a fluttering at my window and I see that a specimen of the 

 "Kleine Fuchs", as the (nlermans call Vancxxa Crt/rdr, has 

 strayed into my room and is beating against the window 

 pane. The sight of this species recalls to me the fact that 

 I am far from home. I have just interrupted my writing 

 to open the window and let it out and I noticed, as 

 I did so, that my neighbor, the Poet, was in the garden 



