244 [April, 



SOME NOTES ON THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BRITISH AND 

 CONTINENTAL RHOPALOCERA. 



BY W. F. DE V. KANE, M.A., F.E.S. 



The scientific British entomologist is at a considerable disadvantage! 

 in studying the problems of variation presented by our insular entomo- 

 logical fauna, for want of good public collections of Continentalinsects. 

 I purpose to indicate in this paper some lines of enquiry, to which a: 

 comparison of our British RliopaJocera with those of the Continent 

 invites consideration. 



Mr. Wallace, in his "Island Life," has directed attention to! 

 morphological phenomena developed under insular conditions amongst 

 birds. Mr. AVoUaston, in his " Insecta Maderensia," and other works, 

 pursued similar enquiries amongst Coleoptera. Both of these eminent 

 naturalists shew that frequently the most surprising and interesting 

 results arise through the segregation of a comparatively limited number i 

 of individuals from the large mass of their fellows on Continental 

 areas. This isolation begets variation, for, as Darwin states, " Inter- 

 crossing plays a very important part in Nature in keeping the individuals 

 of the same species, or of the same variety, true and uniform in 

 character." Since isolation, therefore, plays such an important part 

 in the formation or encouragement of new varieties and species, the 

 comparison of British varieties among each other, a subject which has 

 attracted much attention of late, is quite subsidiai'y in importance to 

 their relation to their Continental analogues. It is, therefore, full 

 time to raise a voice of warning and protest against some dangers that 

 now threaten. The competition amongst British entomologists has 

 latterly become so keen, that an insect with a new pattern (for, un- 

 fortunately, it is to be feared that varieties are frequently valued for 

 little else) fetches an extraordinary price at auction rooms. Their 

 money value having been much enhanced, it is not surprising that 

 they should be manufactured to meet the demand. And another 

 element of doubt and difficulty has also been added by the sale of 

 Continental specimens to amateurs desirous of completing their English 

 collections. Take, for instance, Syricthus malvce (alveolus, H.), our 

 sole representative of that genus among the HesperiidcB (and for that 

 reason a most interesting insect, considering what a variable and 

 numerous group of Continental cousins it has). Who can tell whether 

 the specimens of ah. Taras that are to be found in most English 

 cabinets are all truly British ? 



Before any conclusions are attempted to be drawn from the 



