THE ZooLoGist—APRIL, 1872. 3034 
of Crambus, and especially to C. perlellus, of which it possessed the pearly 
lustre. 
Mr. F’. Smith stated that he had received a further communication from 
Mr. J. T. Moggridge, now at Mentone, respecting the storing of grain by 
ants of the genus Aphenogaster, as mentioned at the meeting on the 1st of 
January. Mr. Moggridge had confined a colony of the ants in a glass 
vessel, so as to observe their habits, and he was able to confirm his 
previously expressed belief that they feed upon the stored grain. 
Mr. H. W. Bates exhibited a number of British species of the genus 
Carabus, arranged side by side with the species which were their nearest 
representatives in Eastern Siberia, as illustrations of the wide difference 
which exists between the Coleopterous fauna of Eastern Siberia and of 
Western Europe. He added that of about fifty species of Carabus 
inhabiting Eastern Siberia only one (C. granulatus) was found also in 
Western Europe, the other forty-nine being quite distinct. He recalled 
the attention of the Society to the wide acceptance which the zoo-geogra- 
phical division of the globe, as propounded by Dr. Sclater, had received 
amongst zoologists. An amendment of these divisions had been since 
proposed by Prof. Huxley, who, however, did not change that portion of 
Sclater’s generalization which concerned the subject now under consideration, 
and which established the whole of Kurope and Northern Asia as one great 
division, termed the “ Palearctic.” This division appeared to apply very 
well to the classes of birds and mammals, but not to insects, as was shown 
by the great amount of difference existing in the genus Carabus and in 
other genera of Coleoptera. Hach species exhibited was accompanied 
by that to which it was most nearly allied. Thus C. nitens was repre- 
sented in Eastern Siberia by C. tuberculosus; OC. clathratus by C. 
canaliculatus; C. arvensis by C. conciliatus; C. monilis by C. regalis, 
&c. No greater amount of difference existed between Northern America 
and the Palearctic region, although the former had been separated as a 
distinct region, termed the “ Nearctic.” In conclusion, Mr. Bates remarked 
that he considered no philosophical importance could be attached to vague 
general divisions of the earth. What was really important was to ascertain 
the districts which presented a large amount of peculiar forms, and then to 
investigate the causes and origin of this peculiarity in each case. 
In the course of the discussion that followed, Prof. Westwood remarked 
upon the desirability of ascertaining the range of each species, and of 
determining the amount of variation or modification presented by it in 
different districts: and he called attention to the similarity between the 
insects of Eastern Siberia, Japan, and Western America. Dr. Sharp said 
that the Spanish Carabi were mostly peculiar to the Iberian peninsula, 
though some were species known to have a wide range, but modified in this 
district. He considered that species quite peculiar to mountains were 
