230 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi. 



the southern latitude and warm climate in which these insects 

 were mostly collected, and the proximity to Formosa and the 

 Malay Islands compared with the enormous distance from 

 Europe, this shows as much Palaearctic affinity as can be 

 expected. In the Palaearctic region the group is only plentiful 

 in the southern parts of Europe, which is cutoff by the cold 

 plateau of Thibet from all direct communication with Japan; 

 while in the Oriental region it everywhere abounds and is, in 

 fact, one of the most conspicuous and dominant families of 

 Coleoptera. 



The Longicorns collected by Mr. Lewis have been described 

 by Mr. Bates in the Annals of Natural History for 1873. The 

 number of species now known from Japan is 107, belonging to 

 sixty-four genera. The most important genera are Lcptura, 

 'Clytanthus, Monohammus, Praonctha, Exoccntrus, Glenea, and 

 Oberea. There are twenty-one tropical genera, and seven 

 peculiar to Japan, leaving thirty-six either Palaearctic or of very 

 wide range. A number of the genera are Oriental and Malayan, 

 and many characteristic European genera seem to be absent ; 

 but it is certaiu that not half the Japanese Longicorns are yet 

 known, and many of these gaps will doubtless be filled up when 

 the more northern islands are explored. 



The Phytophaga, described by Mr. Baly, appear to have a 

 considerable preponderance of tropical Oriental forms. 



A considerable collection of Hymenoptera formed by Mr. 

 Lewis have been described by Mr. Frederick Smith ; and exhibit 

 the interesting result, that while the bees and wasps are decidedly 

 of tropical and Oriental forms, the Tenthredinidae and Ichneu- 

 monidae are as decidedly Pala?arctic, " the general aspect of the 

 collection being that of a European one, only a single exotic 

 form being found among them." 



Remarks on the General Character of the Fauna of Japan — 

 From a general view of the phenomena of distribution we feel 

 justified in placing Japan in the Palaearctic region ; although 

 some tropical groups, especially of reptiles and insects, have 

 largely occupied its southern portions ; and these same groups 

 have in many cases spread into Northern China, beyond the 



