OF THE PAST 2(39 



Three of the four families of butterflies are repre- 

 sented in this meagre little collection, the smaller 

 butterflies of the family Lycaenidae being unknown 

 in a fossil state in the rocks, though it is rather 

 vaguely reported that they have been found in 

 amber. The largest number (ten) are Nymphali- 

 dae, the next (four) Papilionidae, while the Hes- 

 peridae have only two representatives. All but 

 one of the eight American species, however, be- 

 long to the Nymphalidae ; that exception to the 

 Papilionidae. 



These meagre statistics may have a certain inter- 

 est ; but it is of more importance to inquire how far 

 the fossils differ from existing forms, and what 

 they teach us. For this purpose let us briefly 

 examine the European and American forms sepa- 

 rately, turning our attention first to the European 

 species, but omitting the caterpillar from Aix, 

 which is thought to be one of the Satyrinae, to 

 which sub-family two of the five Aix specimens 

 belong. 



To begin at the top of the series, we have first 

 these two Satyrids, Neorinopis and Lethites, a 

 group now represented by the dark brown butter- 

 flies of our meadows and groves ; the nearest allies 

 of both of these are now restricted to the Indo- 



