DISTRIBUTION. 59 



3. DISTRIBUTION. 



The Tenthre din idee must be regarded as inhabitants 

 of temperate, if not northern climates. This is more 

 particularly the case with the Nematina, which are 

 found as far north as Spitzbergen and Iceland, abound 

 in the northern parts of Europe, but become very 

 scarce towards the Mediterranean. Thus, Scotland 

 lias about seventy species of Nematus, and Italy only 

 twelve, according to Costa, or a half more than what 

 Iceland has. The Tenthredina are more widely distri- 

 buted, being found commonly in the Palaearctic, Neo- 

 arctic, and Oriental regions. The Cimbicides are 

 natives of the Neoarctic and Palaearctic regions, into 

 which they penetrate pretty far north. Other tribes 

 are peculiar to the Neotropical and Australian regions. 

 As for the Hylotomina they are in great force in the 

 Neotropical, and not uncommon in the Palsearctic and 

 Neoarctic districts. Lyda seems to be confined to 

 Europe and North America, although it is likewise 

 found in Northern China. 



A few species have a very wide range ; thus, Hylo- 

 tnma pagana is found in America, all over Europe 

 into India and Japan. Many species are common to 

 Northern Europe and America, e.g. Hemichroa rufa, 

 Xi'matus histrio. Athalia has, for such a small genus, 

 a very wide range. The common turnip species (A. 

 xj'iiuinim) abounds all over Europe, from Lapland to 

 the shores of the Mediterranean, and through Asia into 

 Japan. Another species is found in South Africa, 

 which would appear to be singularly poor in Tenthre' 

 dinidce. 



4. COLLECTING AND PRESERVING. 



For collecting these insects, a sweeping net and 

 an umbrella for holding under bushes which are beaten 

 into it are the most useful. They are to be sought 

 for along hedges, the borders of fields, in marshy places 



