10 COSMOPOLITAN SPECIES. [CH. I 



Macroglossa, Chcerocampa (Hawkmoths), Macrosila (Clear 

 wing) among moths are also cosmopolitan. 



As to species there are comparatively few that have a 

 world-wide range ; the most striking example among birds 

 is the Osprey. Gallinula chloropus and Totcmus incamus 

 have the same distribution Among insects it is more 

 difficult to discount the interference of man, which may 

 be responsible for a world-wide distribution. Anosia 

 plearippiis is a butterfly which appears to be found almost 

 everywhere. I have dealt on another page 1 with those 

 species of earthworms which are cosmopolitan or nearly 

 so and arrived at the conclusion that it is in those cases 

 really a question of transport by man. The same argu- 

 ment seems according to M. Trouessart to apply to the 

 cosmopolitan Gecko, Platydactylus facetanus. Even the 

 Lepidoptera above mentioned are not above suspicion 

 on this score; the pupae could so easily be accidentally 

 conveyed to the most distant countries. The common 

 bee-fly (Eristalis tenax), which so closely resembles to 

 the superficial inspection a honey-bee, has reached as far 

 as New Zealand, doubtless by the same agency. 



Restricted groups. 



We have besides ^universally distributed groups some 

 of which are remarkably limited in their range^ Naturally 

 this applies most of all to species and least to families. 

 The majority of species have a more or less restricted 

 range, so much so that it would be impossible to give any 

 1 v. infra. 



