BATTLEDORE SCALES OF LEPIDOPTERA. 265 



the former ? and why suppose any necessity for derivation 

 at all ? Butterflies are often confined to narrow localities ; 

 and when species are widely spread in various geographical 

 habitats, varieties occur ; but the species continue recog- 

 nizable,, and the more specimens can be obtained the 

 more certain is their determination. It is much more 

 probable and philosophical to suppose that an intelligent 

 Creator placed His creatures in such localities and con- 

 ditions as suited their various requirements, and main- 

 tained them there ; and, as Mr. Bates says, " a proof of 

 this perfect adaptation is shown by the swarming abun- 

 dance of the species.^^ 



This swarming abundance and teeming variety of life 

 in the Amazons region is not confined to the insect tribe ; 

 for " Prof. Agassiz, who has lately been engaged in ex- 

 amining the fish of that river, states that he has not found 

 one fish in common with those of any other freshwater 

 basin, that dififerent parts of the Amazons have fishes 

 peculiar to themselves, that a pool of only a few hundred 

 square yards showed 200 kinds of fish (which is as many 

 as the entire Mississippi can boast), and that in the Amazons 

 itself 2000 difierent kinds exist."^ (Athenaeum, Mar. 23, 

 1867.) 



We must look in vain for specific distinction, if such 

 different insects as Heliconia Melpomene, and Thelxiope 

 are to be regarded as of one common origin. Mr. Bates 

 admits that ^'^both are good and true species, in all the 

 essential characters of species ; for they do not pair to- 

 gether when existing side by side, nor is there any appear- 

 ance of reversion to an original common form under the 

 same circumstances." 



Family VI. AcUiEiD^. — No plumules found. 



Family VII. Nymph alidjE. — Found in the following 

 genera : — 



Eueides. — Here on 5 species they have been detected, 



SER. III. VOL. III. T 



