320 Distribution of Moths of the Su h -family Bistonince. 



of Apocheima hispidaria coincides with the habitats of P. 

 pomonaria. This, and the subsequent fusion of the two 

 bands, completes the history of Apocheima in Europe. 



Northern Europe was not, however, the sole terrain colon- 

 ised by Pliocene A. hispidaria. It had occupied the whole of 

 the oak districts of Northern Asia and, when glacial conditions 

 at length made their presence felt there, retreat was a necessity 

 for safety and the insect fell back. The fate of the European 

 stock was repeated and the Siberian host was split in two, 

 one section passing south-west into drier and therefore non- 

 glaciated areas of Eastern Turkestan, and the other into 

 sheltered nooks in the river valleys of Eastern Siberia. In 

 the latter region, the insect encountered a climate not unlike 

 what it had been accustomed to and little, if any, divergence 

 occurred physiologically or otherwise. In Siberia, the dis- 

 appearance of Glacial conditions has not been so marked as 

 in Europe and thus the old forest belts are monopolised by 

 league after league of coniferous trees ; as a result, only a 

 little ground has been re-colonised by Siberian A. hispidaria. 



To conclude, let us return to that other portion which 

 wintered in Eastern Turkestan. Climatically, the conditions 

 were vastly different from what it had enjoyed before and, 

 moreover, they kept deteriorating. In place of the rainfalls 

 of temperate lands, it had to endure scorching dry summers 

 and chilly winters. Size reduction took place and, as a defence 

 from the heat, the body vestiture altered ; there was a tough- 

 ening of the abdominal chitin to lessen the chance of desicca- 

 tion and, simultaneously, the body armature increased. Thus 

 the species Apocheima cineraria was evolved and spread into 

 regions of like environment. 



From this it will be seen that, in Apocheima, we have a 

 case of the origin of species through geographical isolation 

 and other climatic conditions. 



BIRDS. 



Birds in Wharfedale. — I was at Gillbeck, Barden, Wharfe- 

 dale, in June last when a Hawfinch alighted in an oak tree at 

 a short distance from where I was standing. I was told that 

 the Woodcock had again nested in Wharfedale. The Chiffchaff 

 which bred last year within a few miles from here has probably 

 nested again this year. At least, I am informed by Mr. 

 Longbottom of Bingley that a pair has been about the same 

 place during the whole of the breeding season. The Chiffchaff 

 breeds very sparingly in North-west Yorkshire. — E. P. 



BUTTERFIELD. 



Naturalist, 



