Ixiv 



PKOCEEBINGS OF THE 



IV. GEEMA.NT AND HoLLAND. 



Germany, or rather Central Europe from the Ehine to the Car- 

 pathians and from the Baltic to the Alps, is, as to the greater part 

 of it, a continuation of that generally uniform but gradually changing 

 biological region which covers the Russian empire. It is not yet 

 aflPected by those peculiar western races which either stop short of 

 the Ehine and Rhone or only here and there cross these rivers with 

 a few stragglers ; the mountains, however, on its southern border 

 show a biological type diiferent from either of those which limit the 

 Russian portion, indicating in many respects, as I observed in 1869, 

 a closer connexion with the Scandinavian and high northern than 

 with the Pyrenean to the west or the Caucasian to the east. The 

 verifying and following up these indications gives a special interest 

 to the study of German races, their variations and affinities. So 

 far as formal specific distinctions are concerned, all plants and 

 animals, with the exception of a few of those whose minute size 

 enables them long to escape observation, may now be considered as 

 well known in Germany as in France and England ; and in Germany 

 especially the investigation of anatomical and physiological cha- 

 racters has of late years contributed much to a more correct appre- 

 ciation of those distinctions and of the natural relations of organic 

 races. But much remains still for the systematic biologist, and 

 especially the zoologist, to accomplish. Among^ the very numerous 

 Floras of the country, both general and local, there are several which 

 have been worked out with due reference to the vegetation of the 

 immediately surrounding regions; but corresponding complete Faunas 

 do not appear to exist. A few in some branches have been com- 

 menced ; but in these, as in the numerous papers on more or less 

 extended local zoology, as far as I can perceive, animals, and espe- 

 cially insects, seem to be considered only in respect of the forms they 

 assume within the region treated of, frequently with a very close 

 critical study of variations or races of the lowest grades, but neglect- 

 ing all comparison with the forms a species may assume or be 

 represented by in adjoining or distant countries. 



Germany holds a iirst rank amongst civilized nations in I'espect of 

 her biological works in most departments ; they probably exceed 

 in biilk those of any other country. Her publishing scientific aca- 

 demies and other associations, her zoological museums and gardens, 

 her botanical herbaria and university gardens, her zoologists and 

 botanists, of world-wide reputation, are far too numerous to be 

 here particularized. She excels all other nations in the patient and 



