1(30 [December, 



mountain in latitude 36° 30' I have taken a variety of this species, 

 with an almost bright blue thorax, and here, on the 15th June last, I 

 traversed snow at intervals, some feet in thickness, under the trees. 



The next species is D. Fortunei, found in lat. 38° 30', on Awasima, 

 by the late Dr. Adams, and I will remark three things regarding it 

 the $ has the tarsi (in common with the next two species) very slightly 

 dilated, the thorax is bronzed, and I presume it inhabits a colder climate 

 than D. pandurus, as the Kuro-suwo, or warm stream of Japan runs 

 up the east coast, and the west has no such pleasant influence. 



Recently, in latitude 41°, I have taken a series of a Bpecies with 

 the head and thorax of a rich coppery -red hue, and elytra green and 

 partly metallic. Finally, crossing the strait of Tsugar to the island of 

 Tezo, we find D. rugipennis, another bright coloured species. Both 

 the last are near allies, and agree with _D. Fortunei in general outline 

 and form of the tarsi. In the district of D. viridipennis, the new 

 species, snow lies on the length and breadth of the land three or f oui 

 months in the year, and there is frequently snow remaining on some 

 of the higher mountains throughout the summer, and a similar, thougl 

 somewhat colder, climate prevails in South Tezo. The mean tempera- 

 ture in latitude 43° 3' 56" N*. was, in January, 1878, at 7 a.m., 16° F. 

 and in July, only 64°, and August, 65°, and the depth of snow (mean) , 

 January, 11 inches, and February, 48 inches. 



I am endeavouring to discover whether Damaster in any form exist 

 on the north-east coast, in latitude 44°, for there the Kuro-suwo leave 

 the coast, and the sea in mid-winter is a mass of ice for two miles fron 

 the shore, and, following the rule of the others, a small highly coloure( 

 species would occur here, if the genus extends so far. 



Thus we see in tracing Damaster from the south to the north 

 species become smaller, and step by step modified in form, with colou:, 

 appearing the higher we go, either in altitude or in latitude. Li 

 the mountains of central Nipon, we have the blue D. pandurus, and, ii 

 the north, metallic species. 



The general change of contour and tarsal development art 

 divergences from the type easily explained by evolution, and, of course- 

 the cause of colour may be bracketed, too, under the same general laws 

 In the south, the warm nights, with summers of tropical heat, are wel 

 suited for the large, nocturnal, black-coloured species w r e find there 

 but the genus, in forcing its way north, must, as a warmth-lovin 

 creature, accommodate itself to circumstances. Passing from th 

 tropics, it becomes either diurnal or crepuscular (for it graduall 1 

 enters the regions of twilight), and assumes the colours we naturall 





