14 INTKODTJCTION. 



butterflies the Banaince, aud in Africa the Acrceince, and in the 

 Mala3"an subregion the Nemeohiance. 



(3) The x^eotropical region, with much the same general charac- 

 teristics as the tropics of the Old "World, but with very distinct 

 genera ; the immense development of the Syntomidce and the 

 Pyralid subfamily Chrysaugincf being especially marked, whilst the 

 Zi/gceiddce and the Pyralid subfamilies Pyralince and Endotricliina- , 

 greatly developed in the tropics of the Old World, are almost 

 absent. Among butterflies the Ithomiance, Heliconince, Brassolince, 

 Morphina', Erycinidcp, aud Dismorphirue are largely developed, and 

 a very marked feature of the region. 



(4) The Australian region consists of (a) the temperate part of 

 Australia and Tasmania, with some affinities to the extreme south 

 of Africa, characterized by a great development of the Geometrid 

 subfamily Moiiocteniana', the Tineid subfamilies CEcopliorince and 

 Xyloryctince, and the Hepicdidce, it has also some ancestral forms of 

 Pyralidce : (h) ISTew Zealand, with affinities to Hawaii and the 

 extreme south of America, characterized by the great development 

 of the Pyralid subfamilies Scopartance and Crambince, and the 

 Micropterygidce, and an extreme poverty in other forms. The 

 fauna of the region represents the scattered remnants of a very 

 ancient and peculiar Southern fauna. 



The Scheme of the Wokk. - 



The plan of the work is to begin with the most highly specialized 

 families, genera, and species, and gradually work down to the most 

 generalized forms ; the order of the families and genera is that of 

 the Phylogenetic tables, beginning on the extreme left and working 

 down to the junction with another branch, then beginning again at 

 its summit and working down to the same point, and so on, till the 

 most generalized forms at the bottom of the table are reached. The 

 arrangement of the species, however, is that of the synoptic tables 

 of the species, beginning with the more specialized sections of 

 genera founded on structural characters. 



The references consist of one for each generic name, with its date 

 and the type on which it is founded, whether it is retained as a 

 genus or treated as a subgenus or synonym. The references to the 

 species consist of the original reference and one for each synonym, 

 with .their dates, refei-ences to the best figure of the species and to 

 such faunistic works and Catalogues as are in most general use, and 

 references to the best descriptions and figures of the early stages, 

 which are placed after the description of the imago. 



Each genus and all the more important sections of genera are 

 illustrated by process-blocks in the text, showing the facies of the 

 species and all its more important structural characters, aud all 

 species that have not been satisfactorily figured in other works wiU 

 appear in the coloured plates, which will be published separately in 

 parts containing no letterpress except the explanation of the plates, 

 a reference to the text of the volumes and the habitat of the 



