THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 173 



Instead, the story true appeared 



And every sailor did his best, 

 While straight from port the vessels steered 



For those far islands in the west. 



But none returned of all who went, 



Who sight of those fair islands caught, 

 Through the white waves the tempest sent 



The barks which shattered home were brought. 



And some returned no more — but these 



Were fabled to have reached the strand, 

 Where, anchored in luxurious ease. 



Their ships will never leave the land ; 



The crews lie on those sunny slopes, 



Purple with fruit, with vintage blest ; 

 The ships are held by flowery ropes 



In sleepy bays content to rest. 



' The poet steps into his boat. 



The sunset makes his starting fair, 

 Through the long night with Death he'll float, 

 And in the morning he'll be there. 



The study of the geographical distribution of our Moths has led us a 

 long way back in the history of our race and the birth of our ideas. We 

 have now somewhat briefly, but, I hope, clearly, discussed the basis for 

 this first element in our Moth fauna, and I would merely point out that in 

 studying the unequal differences which show themselves between the 

 allied forms, I have found a certain system in the variational characters. 

 These, when compared, are first obvious on the upper surface of the fore 

 wings, then on the upper surface of secondaries, and finally beneath. In 

 other words, this variation follows the exposure of the different surfaces 

 to the air and light, the moths resting chiefly by daylight with the primaries 

 more or less deflexed and their upper surfaces exposed, covering the hind 

 wings. An instance in point is the White Underwing, Catocala Relida, 

 an insect which has a certain range of variation in the general color of 

 the fore wings, which are sufficiently unlike those of its near European 

 ally, the Blue Underwing, Catocala Fraxini. The uppef surface of the 

 hind wings is very much like that of the European species, except that 

 the narrow median band is zo/iite, not dusky bhie. But I have originally 



