14 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi. 



region ; so that there are 4 families peculiar to America. These 

 four families comprise 68 genera and more than 800 species; 

 alone constituting a very important feature in the entomology of 

 the region. But in almost all the other families there are 

 numbers of peculiar genera, amounting in all to about 200, or 

 not far short of half the total number of genera in the world — 

 (431). We must briefly notice some of the peculiarities of the 

 several families, as represented in this region. The Danaidaa 

 consist of 15 genera, all peculiar, and differing widely from the 

 generally sombre-tinted forms of the rest of the world. The 

 delicate transparent- winged Ithomias of which 160 species are 

 described, are the most remarkable. Melincea, Ncupcogenes, 

 Ceratina and Dircenna are more gaily coloured, and are among 

 the chief ornaments of the forests. The Satyridse are repre- 

 sented by 25 peculiar genera, many of great beauty ; the most 

 remarkable and elegant being the genus Hcvtera and its allies, 

 whose transparent wings are delicately marked with patches of 

 orange, pink, or violet. The genus Morpho is perhaps the 

 grandest development of the butterfly type, being of immense 

 size and adorned with the most brilliant azure tints, which in 

 some species attain a splendour of metallic lustre unsurpassed 

 .in nature. The Brassolidre are even larger, but are crepuscular 

 insects, with rich though sober colouring. The true Heliconii 

 are magnificent insects, most elegantly marked with brilliant 

 and strongly contrasted tints. The Nymphalidse are represented 

 by such a variety of gorgeous insects that it is difficult to select 

 examples. Prominent are the genera Catagramma and Callithca, 

 whose exquisite colours and symmetrical markings are unique 

 and indescribable ; and these are in some cases rivalled by 

 Agrias and Prepona, which reproduce their style of coloration 

 although not closely allied to them. The Erycinidse, consisting 

 of 59 genera and 560 species, comprise the most varied and 

 beautiful of small butterflies ; and it would be useless to attempt 

 to indicate the unimaginable combinations of form and colour 

 they present. It must be sufficient to say that nothing elsewhere 

 on the globe at all resembles them. In Lycfenidae the world- 

 wide genus Thecla is wonderfully developed, and the South 



