488 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [part iv. 



the earth which have been found best to represent the facts of 

 distribution in the higher animals. 



CAEABIDJE. (620 Genera, 8500 Species.) 

 The enormous extent of this family, necessitates a somewhat 

 general treatment. It has been very extensively collected, while 

 its classification has been most carefully worked out, and a 

 detailed exposition of its geographical distribution by a compe- 

 tent entomologist would be of the greatest interest. A careful 

 study of Gemminger and Harold's Catalogue, however, enables 

 me to sketch out the main features of its distribution, and to 

 detail many of its peculiarities with considerable accuracy. 



The Carabidse are remarkable among insects, and perhaps 

 among all terrestrial animals, as being a wonderfully numerous, 

 varied, conspicuous, and beautiful group, which is pre-eminently 

 characteristic of the Palsearctic region. So strikingly and 

 unmistakably is this the case, that it must be held completely 

 to justify the keeping that region distinct from those to which 

 it has at various times been proposed to join it. Although the 

 Carabidae are thoroughly well represented by hosts of peculiar 

 genera and abundant species in every part of the w 7 orld without 

 exception, yet the Pakearctic region alone contains fully one- 

 third, or perhaps nearer two-fifths, of the whole. It may also be 

 said, that the group is a temperate as compared with a tropical 

 one ; so that probably half the species are to be found in the 

 temperate and cold regions of the globe, leaving about an equal 

 number in the much more extensive tropical and warm regions. 

 But, among the cold regions, the Palaearctic is pre-eminent. 

 North America is also rich, but it contains, by far, fewer genera 

 and fewer species. 



The magnificent genus Carditis, with its allies Procerus 

 and Procrustes, containing about 300 species, all of large size, 

 is almost wholly confined to the Palsearctic region, only 10 

 species inhabiting North America, and 11 Temperate South 

 America, with one on the African mountain of Kilimandjaro. 

 Twelve large genera, containing together more than 2000 species, 

 are truly cosmopolitan, inhabiting both temperate and tropical 



