16 WILLIAM T. M. FORBES 



onidae to the Pieridae is clear, and the Nymphalidae are certainly a 

 direct offshoot of the Pieridee; but the attachment of the Lycsenidfie is 



less certain. 



DISTRIBUTION 



The life zones of New York and the adjacent States are : 



1. Arctic-alpine 4. Alleghanian or Transition 



2. Hudsonian 5. Carolinian or Upper Austral 



3. Canadian 6. Austroriparian or Lower Austral 



In northeastern North America, the Arctic-alpine zone is confined 

 to the true Arctic region and the tops of the White Mountains of New 

 Hampshire. The Green Mountains, . the Adirondacks, Mt. Katahdin, 

 the Catskills, and even some lesser peaks have stray alpine species, 

 but south of the Catskills there are none. The bleak coast of Lab- 

 rador belongs to this zone, but the inland shows the wooded character 

 of the Hudsonian zone. 



The Hudsonian zone is marked by an average midsummer tem- 

 perature of about 50 to 57F., and by the dominance of fir, spruce, 

 and tamarack. It covers the continent from the Laurentians north, 

 and shows on the higher levels of all our mountains, even south to 

 North Carolina. Characteristic of its northern portion are Brenthis 

 montinus, Polygonia gracilis, and Alypia langtonii. South of the 

 Mohawk Valley its Lepidoptera have not been recognized as distinct 

 from the Canadian forms. 



The Canadian zone has an average temperature of 57 to 64F , 

 and also is a great area of conifer forest, but one readily giving place 

 to many deciduous trees. While characteristic of Canada and north- 

 ern Maine, the most fully cultivated parts of Canada, including the 

 sheltered inner half of Nova Scotia and all of Quebec and Ontario 

 south of the Saguenay and Laurentians district, belong to a warmer 

 area. South of Canada, most of the mountains of New England and 

 New York, as well as all the cooler summits of the Appalachians, belong 

 to this zone. The peat bogs and swamps at lower levels often show 

 the fauna of this zone, especially where tamarack and the heaths 

 (Labrador tea, etc.) are dominant, rather than the southern white 

 cedar. Characteristic Lepidoptera are Basilarchia arthemis, (which 

 runs into the Transition), Chrysophanus epixanthe, Pieris oleracea (form- 

 erly wide spread in the Transition also), Eurymus interior, Polygonia 

 faunus, and others. 



The Transition, or Alleghanian, zone is typical of New York, and 

 the data of seasons and broods are designed especially to apply to this 

 district. In this zone deciduous trees are quite as common as con- 

 ifers, and the northern beech and southern chestnut overlap. It can 

 hardly be said to have a special flora and fauna, but only a special 



