CH. i] WIDE RANGE OF CERTAIN FORMS. 7 



The Range of Animals. 



In the range of species we meet with every condition, 

 from world-wide distribution to the most restricted habitat. 

 It has been said that man is the only animal (with the 

 exception perhaps of his parasites) which is literally found 

 in every habitable part of the earth's surface ; but a few 

 others are almost as widely scattered. Among mammals 

 only certain bats are in this position, for though the 

 common mouse and the rat are found nearly everywhere, 

 it is very possible that man is responsible for this wide 

 dissemination. The Barn Owl (Stria flammea) occurs in 

 most parts both of the new and old worlds. It is true 

 that in different countries it has received different names ; 

 but the opinion of many is that these are at the most 

 local races which are hardly deserving of being separated 

 as species. The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is an 

 example from another class of animals which has an 

 equally wide range. This butterfly extends from Europe 

 to the Islands of the Pacific and to New Zealand, but is 

 not found in the West Indies and certain parts of South 

 America. The common Red river Worm (Tubifex) seems 

 to be universally spread. At any rate examples from so 

 distant a spot as New Zealand do not differ in any 

 appreciable point from those of England. A species be- 

 longing to another family of Oligochseta, Henlea ventri- 

 cvlosa, occurs in Europe, in the territory of the Khirghese 

 Tartars, and in New Zealand. 



The now extinct Large Copper Butterfly was formerly 

 found in abundance in the Cambridgeshire fens, but found 



