MEMOIRS OF THE XATIOXAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 49 



Subfamily III.— Pyg^rin^. 

 Datana califoriiica (2). 



Subfamily IV. — Ichthyurinje. 



Ichtbyura apicalis (1, 2). Icbtbyura brucei (1). 



var. oi-nata (1, 2). A-ar. multnoma (1). 



var. astoriie (1). albosigma (1). 



var. biflria (2). 

 iuoniata (2). 



Subfamily Y. — Notodontin^i;. 



Nadata gibbosa (1, 2). Notodonta stragula var. pacifica (2). 



Plieosia diinidiata (1, 2). 



Subfamily VI. — Heterucampin^. 

 Schizura ipomea^ (1, 2). Schizura coucinna (salicis) (2). 



peraiigulata (1). Heterocampa plumosa (1, 2). 



unicornis (2). 



Subfamily VII. — Cbrurin^. 

 Cerura scolopendrina (1, 2). Cerura cinerea (1, 2). 



This list shows in a very striking way that not only is there not a genus of Notodontinaj as far 

 ■as we yet know peculiar to the vast Campestrian subprovince, but also, with perhaps the exception 

 of one species {Heferocavipa plumosa), tliere is not throughout the whole of western North America 

 any of the familj' widely distinct from eastern forms. All of the species and varieties of Gluphisia 

 appear to be but climatic varieties of the eastern G. septcntrionis and sevcra; the single species 

 of Datana (7). califontica) may prove to be a local variety of D. ministra. The only distinct 

 species of Ichthyura is /. inornata, whose siiocific rank is quite doubtful, since I have been 

 inclined to regard it as only a climatic variety of /. a2)icalis. Schizura perangulata is, however, 

 quite distinct, and yet it is closely allied to S. crimia. 



In fact, the greater part of the number of Campestrian species are really inhabitants of the 

 bumid, wooded mountains and elevated valleys which rise out of the dry, rainless jjlains and 

 plateaus, and the species found there are truly members of the Appalachian fauna, the areas 

 which tliej' inhabit being simple outliers on the western and Pacitic slojies of the Appalachian 

 subprovince (Canadian and Alleghanian fauna), which extends southward along the elevated 

 ranges of the Rocky Mountains of the Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada. 



The Notodontians are peculiarly tree-inhabiting forms, and in a region so destitute of forests 

 and of deciduous trees as the Plains, the Great Basin, and California we should not expect good 

 material for characterizing faunae Hence the distribution of this restricted group of moths 

 presents very different results from that of insects in general and of mammals and birds, and it is 

 difiQcult to separate on sui'h slender evidence the Californian or Pacific Coast distiict fauna from 

 the Campestrian, though when we take into account other groups of insects, especially Coleoi>tera, 

 ■we seem warranted in such a differentiation of the faunte of western North America. 



From what we know of the life histories of the Californian and Campestrian Notodontians 

 their principle food plants in that region are the poplars and willows which tlourish along the 

 river courses of that dry area, others feeding on the scrub oaks of the plains and foothills. 



This interdigitation of Campestrian (dry) and humid forest-clad mountain tracts, with the 

 outliers from the Boreal (Arctic, Hudsonian, and Canadian) and Alleghanian ("Transition" 

 Merriam) faunae is well shown ou Dr. Merriam's map.' 



' In our zoogeograpliical map publislied in 1883 (Vol. XII, Haydeu's Annual Report) we believe we were the first 

 to represent on a colored map the southward extension along the Rocky Mountain range and Sierra Nevada, as 

 well as along the Appalachians and Adirondacks of the Boreal (Canadian) province. Having visited those moun- 

 tains and studied the Alpine fauna of those regions, and from general knowledge, it is somewhat surprising to read 

 on page 226 of Dr. Allen's article the following statement: 



" Dr. Packard, in his otherwise excellent zoogeographical map of North America, failed, however, to recognize 

 the southward extension of the Cold Temper.ate subregiiin along the principal mountain systems of the continent." 

 On the contrary, as anyone will see on examining ray map, I have carried down along the Rocky Mountain range a 

 long loop of the isotherm of 40^ as nearly far south as Santa Fi5, N. Mex,, and colored the mountain ranges and 

 spurs within the loop pale blue, the same hue as that used iu coloring the Boreal province. 



S. Mis. 50 4 



