BUTTERFLY HUNTING IN THE HIMALAYAS. 241 



its extent in the Eastern Hemisphere. Within a radius of about 

 fifty miles of my headquarters there are found as many as six 

 hundred different species of butterflies, in addition to a large 

 number of seasonal, climatal, and geographical varieties ; while 

 moths and beetles and other insects may be encountered in 

 thousands. This is not only the case as regards the number of 

 species, but individuals of many of them occur in the greatest 

 profusion. The abundance of large and handsome butterflies in 

 the tropical valleys is a sight not to be forgotten. 



Up to an altitude of about 5000 ft. we get species characteristic 

 of the Malay region, which is noted for its excessive richness in 

 other branches of natural history, besides in entomology. It is 

 here that one see the great Papilios in all their glory, as well as 

 many large species of Danaidae, &c. What a grand sight it is to 

 view the gigantic Ornithoptcra. jjompeus, or equally handsome 

 0. rhadamantkus, sailing majestically through the forest glade, 

 or the green and red- spotted Papilio paris and P. ganesa dashing 

 about in the broiling sunshine, in company with many other 

 beautiful species of the same genus ; while the various species of 

 Euploea, with iridescent colours which change with every flap of 

 their wings, occur in countless swarms within the shade of the 

 luxuriant arborescent vegetation. Pre-eminently plentiful among 

 these are E. rogenhoferi, E. rhadamantluis, and E. core. Several 

 species of Nejjtis, noted for their graceful sailing flight, are also 

 exceedingly plentiful in this zone, as is likewise the case with 

 many species of Pieridae, the commonest of all being Ixias birdi, 

 a beautiful yellow orange-tipped form, which occurs in company 

 with half a dozen pretty species of Delias. 



The temperate zone, which rises above the preceding to the 

 height of 10,000 or 12,000 ft., has an entomological fauna allied 

 to that which occurs in the Manchurian Subregion of the Palae- 

 arctic Area of zoo-geographers, and is exceedingly like the 

 European in its general facies, although a considerable propor- 

 tion of subtropical forms are intermingled with it. At this 

 altitude one encounters species closely allied to many which are 

 among our most familiar butterflies in England, such as Pieris 

 brassicce, P. rapce, P. napi, Lyccena argioliis, Vanessa atalanta, V. 

 iirticce^Ac, which are here represented by geographical forms, 

 considered sufficiently distinct to be treated as separate species ; 

 while others are absolutely identical, such as Vanessa cardui and 

 Argynnis latonia, which are both common insects at this eleva- 

 tion in the Eastern Himalayas. 



At the altitude of 12,000 ft. and upwards the alpine and 

 arctic entomological fauna of Thibet is met with, characterised 

 by its several species of Paniassius, which produce such a typical 

 feature in the scenery of the Alps. 



Quite in harmony with the condition of things here explained, 

 the scenery is of the grandest description imaginable. Mountain 



