MEJIOiltS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 49 



Subfamily III.— Fyg^erin^. 

 Datana calit'oniica (2). 



Subfamilj' IV. — Ichthyurin^. 



Ichthyura apicalis (1, 2). Iclithyura bnicei (1). 



var. ornata (1, 2). var. luultuoma (1). 



var. astoriie (1). albosigma (1). 



var. bifiria (2). 

 inoniata (2). 



Subfamily V. — NotodontiNvE. 

 Xadata gibbosa (I, 2). JSTotodonta stragula var. pacifica (2). 



Pheosia diiiiidiata (1, 2). 



Subfamily VI. — Heterucampin^. 

 Scliizura ipomete (1, 2). Schizura coiiciuna (salicis) (2). 



perangulata (1). Heterocampa plumosa (1, 2). 



unicornis (2). 



Subfamily Vll. — CekuriNvE. 



Cerura scolopendrina (1, 2). Cerura ciuerea (1, 2). 



This list shows iu a very striking way that not only is there not a genus of Notodontinse as far 

 as we yet know peculiar to the vast Gampestrian subprovince, but also, with perhaps the exception 

 of one species (Hefcromnqm pli(mo.^((), there is not throughout the whole of western North America 

 any of the family widely distinct from eastern forms. All of the species and varieties i>f Ghiphisia 

 appear to be but climatic varieties of the eastern G. septentrionis and severa; the single species 

 of Datana (D. californica) may prove to be a local variety of D. ministra. The only distinct 

 species of Ichthyura is /. inoniata, whose spocific rank is quite doubtful, since I have been 

 inclined to regard it as only a climatic variety of /. apicalis. Schizura pcrangulata is, however, 

 quite distinct, and yet it is closely allied to *S'. cximia. 



In fact, the greater part of the number of Gampestrian species are really inhabitants of the 

 bumiil, wooded mountains and elevated valleys which rise out of the dry, rainless plains and 

 plateaus, and the species found there are truly members of the Appalachian fauna, the areas 

 which they inhabit being simple outliers on the western and Pacific slopes of the Appalachian 

 subprovince (Canadian and Alleglianian fauna), which extends southward along the elevated 

 ranges of the Eocky 3Iouutaius of the Cascade liange and the Sierra Xevada. 



The Notodontians are peculiarly tree-inhabiting forms, and in a region so destitute of forests 

 and of deciduous trees as the Plains, the Great Basin, and California we should not expect good 

 material for characterizing faume. Hence the distribution of this restricted group of moths 

 presents very different results from that of insects in general and of mammals and birds, and it is 

 difficult to separate on such slender evidence the Californian or Pacific Coast district fauna from 

 the Gampestrian, though when we take into account other groups of insects, especially Coleoptera, 

 we seem warranted in such a differentiation of the faun;ti of western North America. 



From what we know of the life histories of the Californian and Gampestrian Notodontians 

 their principle food plants in that region are the poplars and willows which flourish along the 

 river courses of that dry area, others feeding on the scrub oaks of the plains and foothills. 



This interdigitatiou of Gampestrian (dry) and humid forest clad mountain tracts, with the 

 outliers from the Boreal (Arctic, Hudsonian, and Canadian) and Alleghanian ("Transition" 

 Merriam) faunte is well shown ou Dr. Merriam's map.^ 



' In our zoogeograpliical map published in 1883 (Vol. XII, Hayden's Annual Report) we believe we were the first 

 to represent on a colored map the southward extension along the Rocky Mountain range and Sierra Nevada, as 

 well as along the Appalachians and Adiroudacks of the Boreal (C'auadian) province. Having visited those moun- 

 tains and studied the Aljiine fauna of those regions, and from general knowledge, it is somewhat surprising to read 

 on page 226 of Dr. Allen's article the following statement: 



" Dr. Packard, iu his otherwise excellent zoogeographical map of Xorth America, failed, however, to recognize 

 the southward extension of the Cold Temperate subregiou along the principal moiintaiu systems of the continent." 

 Ou the contrary, as anyoue will see on examining ray map, I have carried down along the Rocky Mountain range a 

 long loop of the isotherm of 40^ as nearly far south as Sauta Fc, N. Mex., and colored the mountain ranges and 

 spurs within the loop i>ale blue, the same hue as that used in coloring the Boreal province. 



S. Mis. 50 4 



