28 MR. A. R. WALLACE ON THE PAPILIONID.E 



that a species which on a continent might have a wide range, and whose local forms, if 

 any, would he so connected together that it would he impossible to separate them, may 

 become by isolation reduced to a number of such clearly defined and constant forms that 

 we are obliged to count them as species. Trom this point of view, therefore, the superior 

 number of Malayan species may be considered as apparent only. Its true superiority is 

 shown, on the other hand, by the possession of three genera and twenty groups of Pa- 

 pilionida) against a single genus and eight groups in South America, and also by the 

 much greater average size of the Malayan species. In most other families, however, the 

 reverse is the case, the South American Nijmphalidce, Satyrid<s, and Erycinidce far sur- 

 passing those of the East in number, variety, and beauty. 



The following list, exhibiting the range and distribution of each group, will enable us 

 to study more easily their internal and external relations. 



Bmige of the Groups of Malayan Papilionidae. 

 Ornithoptera. 



1. Pria»m5-group. Moluccas to Woodlark Island. 



2. Pompeus-^ro\x\>. Himalayas to New Guinea (Celebes, maximum). 



3. jBroo/reawa-group. Sumatra and Borneo. 



Papilio. 



4. A'oa^-group. North India, Java, and Philippines. 



5. Coon-group. North India to Java. 



6. Polydorus-gToui). India to New Guinea and Pacific. 



7. Ulysses-groui). Celebes to New Caledonia. 



8. Peranthus-grou^. India to Timor and Moluccas (India, max.). 



9. Mewwow-group. India to Timor and Moluccas (Java, max.). 



10. Helenm-gToup. Africa and India to New Guinea. 



11. Pammon-group. India to Pacific and Australia. 



12. Ei-echtkeus-group. Celebes to Austraba. 



13. DemoHon-group. India to Celebes. 



14. Erithonius-group. Africa, India, Australia, 



15. Parac?o.ra-group. India to Java (Borneo, max.). 



16. Dissimilis-growp. India to Timor (India, max.). 



17. Macareus-gr oup. India to New Guinea. 



18. Antiphates-group. Widely distributed. 



19. Eurypylus-group. India to Australia. 



Leptocircus. 



20. Leplocircus-group. India to Celebes. 



This Table shows the great affinity of the Malayan with the Indian Papilionidae, only 

 three out of the nineteen groups ranging beyond, into Africa, Europe, or America. The 

 limitation of groups to the Indo-Malayan or Austro-Malayan divisions of the archi- 

 pelago, which is so well marked in the higher animals (see ' Journal of Linnean Society,' 

 vol. iv. 172, and ' Journal of the Eoyal Geographical Society,' 18G3, p. 230), is much less 



