CHAP. X. ] THE PALAZZARCTIC REGION. 187 
strengthen our view of their radical distinctness, by showing to 
how considerable an extent the former is inhabited by peculiar, 
and often very remarkable generic types. 
Insects : Lepidoptera.—The Diurnal Lepidoptera, or butterflies, 
are not very abundant in species, their number being probably 
somewhat over 500,and these belong to not more than fifty genera. 
But no less than fifteen of these genera are wholly confined to 
the region. Nine of the families are represented, as follows :— 
1. Danaide ; having only a single species in South Europe. 
2. Satyride ; well represented, there being more than 100 species 
in Europe, and three peculiar genera. 3. Nymphalide; rather 
poorly represented, Europe having only about sixty species, but 
there is one peculiar genus. 4. Libytheide ; avery small family, 
represented by a single species occurring in South Europe. 
5. Nemeobude ; a rather small family, also having only one 
species in Europe, but which constitutes a peculiar genera. 
6. Lycenide ; an extensive family, fairly represented, having 
about eighty European species ; there are two peculiar genera 
in the Palearctic region. 7. Pieride ; rather poorly represented 
with thirty-two European species; two of the genera are, how- 
ever, peculiar. 8. Papilionide ; very poorly represented in 
Europe with only twelve species, but there are many more in 
_ Siberia and Japan. No less than five of the small number of 
genera in this family are wholly confined to the region, a 
fact of much importance, and which to a great extent redeems 
the character of the Palearctic region as regard this order of 
insects. Their names are Mesapia, Hypermnestra, Doritis, 
Sericinus, and Thais ; and besides these we have Parnassius— 
the “ Apollo” butterflies—highly characteristic, and only found 
elsewhere in the mountains of the Nearctic region. 9. Hes- 
peride ; poorly represented with about thirty European species, 
and one peculiar genus. 
Four families of Sphingina occur in the Palearctic region, 
and there are several peculiar genera. 
In the Zygenide there are two exclusively European genera, 
and the extensive genus Zygena is itself mainly Palearctic. 
The small family Stygiide has two out of its three genera 
