432 MB. W. F. KIRBY ON THE GEOGEAPHICAL DISTEIBUTION OF 



ii. pp. 130-145), but approaches it so nearly as to render a compa- 

 rison between the Ehopalocera and the Aves extremely easy as 

 ■well as interesting (birds, Sclater, 7500 ; butterflies, Kirby, 7700). 

 Had I been dealing with Lepidoptera only, I would certainly 

 have united Dr. Sclater's " Palsearctic Region " and " Nearctic 

 Region ;" for although the species of North- American Ehopalocera 

 are seldom identical with those of northern Asia and Europe, still 

 the genera are the same with scarcely an exception, except a few 

 representatives of South-American genera, which have no more 

 right to be considered Nearctic species than the similar chance 

 representatives of African forms in North Africa or South-west 

 Europe, or of Indian forms in South-east Europe, have to bo 

 considered Palajarctic species. But for purposes of comparison it 

 will be better to adhere to the geographical provinces mapped out 

 by Dr. Sclater, commencing with : — 



I. PalcBarctic Region. 



"Extent. — Africa north of the Atlas, Europe, Asia-Minor, 

 Persia and Asia generally north of the Himalaya range, upper 

 part of Himalaya range ? [certainly the north-west Himalayas], 

 Northern China, Japan, and the Aleutian Islands. Approxi- 

 mate area of 14,000,000 square miles." 



Characteristic forms. — Erelia, GEneis (circumpolar), *Mela- 

 nargia, Satyrtcs, Einnephile, Ilipparclda, Ccenonympha, *Triphysa, 

 Argynnis, Melitasa, *Araschnia, Vanessa, *Nemeohius, Lyccena, 

 *Thestor, Pleheius, *Lceosoj)is, ^Zejyliyrus, ^'Lcucophasia, *Gonc- 

 pteryx (sect, typ.), Colias, *'Zegris, *'Euchloe, *Jllesapia, *Hyper- 

 mnestra, *I)oritis, Farnassius, *Sericinus, *Tliais, TJiymelicus, 

 *Erynnis, Hesperia, Carterocephalus. 



The above are all genera which may without any doubt be con- 

 sidered highly characteristic of the Pala^arctic region, many 

 being entirely conllued to it, and otlicrs, though widely distri- 

 buted, reaching their maximum of size and colour within its 

 boundaries. The genera marked with an asterisk do not, with 

 the doubtful exceptions of Gunepleryx and Erynnis, extend to the 

 Nearctic region ; nor, except Gonepteryx and Zephyrus, which ex- 

 tend to the Himalayas, do they so much as touch the Indian 

 region. Although the genus Flebeitcs is widely distributed, yet it 

 seems rather to belong to the Palajarctic fauna than to any other. 



As is the case with the birds, the genera of lihopalocera, cha- 

 racteristic of this district, are far from equalling many of the 



