20 PARA. Chap. I. 



habits as their EngHsh brethren, running and flying 

 over sandy soils in the bright sunshine. About the 

 same number is found in each of the two countries : but 

 all the Amazonian species are far smaller in size and 

 more obscure in colour than those inhabiting Northern 

 Europe ; none being at all equal in these respects to 

 the common English Cicindela campestris, the hand- 

 some light-green tiger-beetle, spotted with white, which 

 is familiar to country residents of Natural History 

 tastes in most parts of England. In butterflies I find 

 there are eight genera common to the two regions we 

 are thus pitting against each other. Of these, three 

 only (Papilio, Pieris and Thecla) are represented by 

 handsomer species in Amazonia than in Northern 

 Europe. Three others (Lycgena, Melitaea and Apatura) 

 yield far more beautiful and larger forms in England 

 than in the Amazonian plains ; as to the remaining two 

 (Pamphila and Pyrgus) there is scarcely any difference. 

 There is another and hitherto neglected fact which 

 I would strongly press upon those who are interested 

 in these subjects. This is, that it is almost always the 

 males only which are beautiful in colours. The 

 brilliant dress is rarely worn by both sexes of the same 

 species: if climate has any direct influence in this 

 matter, why have not both sexes felt its effects, and why 

 are the males of genera living under our gloomy English 

 skies adorned with bright colours ? 



The tropics, it is true, have a vastly greater total 

 number of handsome butterflies than the temperate 

 zones ; but it must be borne in mind that they contain 

 a far greater number of genera and species altogether. 



