148 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



The fauna of Africa has an isolated character, being cut 

 off by deserts from the northern continents; and though now 

 riciier than any other part of the world in large mammals, 

 its Lepidopterous fauna is less rich than might be expected, 

 though chiefly consisting of peculiar forms. It has con- 

 siderably more affinity with that of India than with that 

 of Europe. The Madagascar Fauna is specially inter- 

 esting, but rather Irom the peculiar manner in which 

 certain forms common to Madagascar and the main land 

 have diverged from each other in different ways than 

 from the number and beauty of the species not found on the 

 continent. Several species, once believed to be confined to 

 Madagascar, are now known to occur in East Africa ; and it 

 is probable that others will be discovered when that country 

 is better known. The more abundant and widely distributed 

 species of African Lepidoptera have lately become com- 

 paratively couunon in collections, owing lo the large numbers 

 sent home by diflerent professional collectors ; but insects 

 from any little visited part of Africa, or species remarkable 

 ibr their size and beauty, which rarely come in numbers, 

 still conunand high prices at all times. The only systematic 

 works specially on the LepidojJtera of the African region 

 are those by Trimen on the butterflies of South Africa (now 

 out of print) ; the ]3apers by Wallengren on the Lepidoptera 

 of Caffraria, in the Swedish Transactions ; and Boisduval's 

 ' Lepidopteres de Madagascar.' Lepidoptera are, however, 

 treated of in various scientific voyages, such as Peter's 

 * lleise nach Mossambique' and Van der Decken's ' Reisen 

 in Ost-Afrika.' 



III. Indian Region. — India, South China, and South- 

 Eastern Asia generally ; the Philippines, Formosa, and the 

 three great islands of Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. This 

 district is very rich in Lepidoptera, and its productions are 

 comparatively well known ; but there are no special works 

 devoted to them which need be mentioned here, as any of 

 importance are limited to isolated groups. Notwithstanding 

 the number of Europeans in this region, good collections are 

 less frequently received from it than might be supposed ; 

 common Indian butterflies are always to be had, but 

 frequently in poor condition ; and collections from the 

 interior Himalayas, or frouj any infrequently visited portion 



