54 



ZOOLOGICAL 





measuring 6 or 7 inches across the wings. They are of world-wide distribu- 

 tion, but nine of the genera are confined to Australia, Tasmania, and New 

 Zealand. Thirteen species occur in North America, 22 in the Palsearctic 

 Region and 9 in Europe, all the latter being members of the typical 

 genus Hepialus. Five species, often called Swift Moths, are British. One 

 of the largest and handsomest members of the family is Leto venus, a 

 native of South Africa. Its fore wings are covered with blotches of silver, 

 giving the insect a striking appearance. 



LASIOCAMPID^I (Lappet-Moths, Eggars, &c). Plate 32, Map iv. 



About 150 genera and 750 species belong to this family, which has 

 representatives in all parts of the world, except New Zealand and Polynesia. 

 About 60 species occur in the Palsearctic Region, and of these fully half are 

 found in Europe and 11 in Britain. The best-known of the latter are the 

 Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi), the Oak Eggar (Lasiocampa quercus), the 

 Drinker (Cosmotriche potatoria) and the Lappet-Moth (Gastropacha querci- 

 folia). Twenty-four species occur in North America. 



LYMANTRIIDuE (Tussock-Moths, &c.) Plate 32, Map iv. 



This family is of universal distribution, with representatives in the 

 extreme north, examples having been met with on several of the Arctic 

 expeditions (e.g., Dasychira rossii). Over 800 species, placed in nearly 200 

 different genera, have been described. About 70 species occur in the 

 Palaaarctic Region, of which 23 are European and 10 British. The Brown 

 Tail (Euproctis chrysorrhcea), Gold Tail (Porthesia similis), Satin Moth 

 (Stilpnotia salicis) and Gipsy Moth (Lymanlria dispar) are well-known 

 British representatives of the family. Fifteen species occur in North 

 America. 



HYPSID.E or AGANAID.E. Plate 32, Map v. 



This is a small and essentially tropical family, comprising about 120 

 species and about 24 genera. Less than 20 species occur in the Ethiopian 

 Region, and only one in the Neotropical. It is hence specially characteristic 

 of the Oriental and Australian Regions, while at the same time absent from 

 New Zealand. These Moths are peculiarly coloured, with buff and grey 

 tints prevailing. 



ARCTIID^ (Tiger-Moths, &c). Plate 32, Map v. 



The Arctiidse are a large and important group, containing over 2000 

 species, for the reception of which over 400 genera have been characterised. 

 These Moths, often brightly-coloured and attractive in appearance, occur in 

 all parts of the world and are well represented in Britain, fully 30 species 

 being recognised as native. Among these the best-known are the Common 

 Tiger Moth (Arctia caia), the Cinnabar Moth (Euchelia jacobsess), the 

 Ermines of the genus Spilosoma and the so-called " Footmen " of the genus 

 Lithosia. At least 160 species occur in the Pakvarctio Region, 71 in 

 Europe, and 120 in North America. 



AGARISTID^E. Plate 32, Map v. 

 In this family about 250 species are known, placed in over 50 genera. 

 Many of these Moths possess brightly-coloured wings, and are diurnal in 

 habit. In general appearance they have some resemblance to the members 

 of the previous family. They are mainly confined to the tropical portions of 

 both Old and New Worlds, only 15 species occurring in North America 

 (and mainly in the Southern States) and 2 in the Palasarctic Region 

 (Corea, Japan and China). 



GEOMETRIES (Loopers). Plate 32, Map vi. 



This is an enormous group of Moths, comprising thousands of species 

 and distributed over every part of the globe. In the Pahearctic Region 

 alone there are about 1200 species, while Europe and North America each 

 possess at least 800. In Britain about 270 species occur, of which the 

 Currant or Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossidariala) may be taken as an 

 abundant and very familiar example. The Moths of this family are in great 

 part of dull colours, with slender, fragile bodies. The popular name of 

 " Looper " arises from the peculiar gait of the caterpillar, whose body during 

 progression is thrown into a large loop. The scientific name of the family 

 is derived from the same peculiarity. 



NOCTUID.E (Noctuid Moths). Plate 32, Map vi. 



At least 10,000 species of usually sombre-coloured Moths belong to this 

 family, whose distribution is universal. Nearly all the members of the group 

 are nocturnal in habit, from which circumstance their name is taken. About 

 1800 species occur in the Palasarctic Region, over 1000 in Europe, and about 

 330 in Britain. At least 2000 species are recorded from North America 

 while over 70 are found in New Zealand, and about 250 in Madagascar' 

 Several sub-families have been formed for the reception of the enormous 

 number of genera contained in the family, but the classification of these 

 genera is a matter of considerable difficulty. 



URANIDXE. Plate 32, Map vi. 

 This family comprises about 70 species of Moths somewhat resemblin- 

 the Geometmdse in general appearance, but often adorned with brilliant 

 colours. The species are confined to the Tropics, and attain their chief 

 development in the Neotropical and Oriental Regions. The typical genus 

 Uremia contains eight species, which range from Mexico and the Greater 

 Antilles to Brazil, and are of brilliant coloration. The handsomest 

 member of the family, however, is the wonderfully brilliant Chrysiridia 

 madagascanensis, confined to Madagascar and originally described as a 

 Butterfly | Other important genera are Alcidis and Nyctalemon, confined to 

 the Oriental and Australian Regions, and Coronidia, which is purely 



OEDER COLEOPTERA (Beetles). 



SECTION LAMELLICORNIA. 



PASSALID^l. Plate 33, Map i. 



Of this family between 400 and 500 species have been described. Th ' 

 range extends throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of b tl 

 hemispheres. Only a single species occurs in North America, while th 

 family is entirely absent from the Pala?arctic Region. These Beetles 

 usually of a large size and of a shining black colour. They occur chief! ' 

 decaying wood. 



LUCANIDJE: (Stag-Beetles, &c). Plate 33, Map i. 



This is an important and widely distributed group, containing about 

 750 species and 80 genera. Of this number only about a dozen occur i 

 Europe (three of which are British), and 14 or 15 in North America th 

 metropolis of the family apparently being the Indo-Malayan and Austro- 

 Malayan Sub-regions. 



Three genera, viz., Lucanus, Lamprima, and Odontolabis, have been 

 selected for illustration. Lucanus, the typical one, contains 26 species and 

 is especially characteristic of the Nearctic and Palsearctic Regions, to which 

 nearly all its species are confined. One species, the Common Staw-Beetle 

 (Lucanus cervus) occurs in England, but only south of the Midlands 

 Lamprima is a group of about 15 beetles, often of a brilliant metallic o> re en 

 coloration, confined to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. Odontolabi - 

 comprises 50 species, mostly of large size, and ranging from Southern India 

 to China and the Malay Archipelago. The male beetles in this o-enus are 

 remarkable for their great variation in size. 



SCARAB.EID.E (Dung-Beetles, Chafers, &c). Plate 33, Maps ii and iii. 



This is an enormous and very heterogeneous family, comprising at least 

 13,000 species. They occur in all parts of the world, and in order to 

 accommodate this vast assemblage of forms, five sub -families are usually 

 adopted. The first (Ooprides) contains about 5000 species, and includes 

 such forms as the Egyptian Sacred Beetle (Scarabseus sacer) and its allies 

 The second sub-family (Melolonthides) includes the Cockchafers and their 

 allies, about 4000 species in all ; the third (Dynastides) contains about 1000 

 species of huge size and mostly tropical. The fourth sub-family (Butelides) 

 includes 1500 species, and the fifth (Celoniides) about 1600, mostly found in 

 warm regions. Over 80 species of the family as a whole are found in 

 Britain. 



Scarabmus (Map ii) is confined to Southern Europe, Africa, Madagascar 

 and the southern portion of the Asiatic mainland. About 70 species are 

 known. PhanSRus (Map ii) affords a good example of a genus characteristic 

 of (though not confined to) the Neotropical Region. Over 80 species have 

 been described, many of which are of a beautiful metallic green colour. 

 Trox (Map iii) is a widely distributed genus, comprising at least 100 

 species. About a dozen species occur in Europe, and two in Britain. 

 Serica (Map iii) contains about 660 species, distributed as follows: 

 Palsearctic Region, 80; Oriental Region, 400; Ethiopian Region, 150; 

 Nearctic Region, 30; Neotropical Region, 5. One (S. brunnea) occurs 

 and is widely distributed in Britain. Melolontha (Map iii) includes about 

 20 species of Cockchafer, two of which occur in Britain. The remainder are 

 confined to Europe and Asia, extending as far east as Borneo and the 

 Philippines. Gymnetis (Map iii) is confined to the New World, with about 

 90 species. 



SECTION ADEPHAGA. 



CARABID.E (Carnivorous Ground-Beetles). Plate 33, Map iv. 



This important family comprises about 13,000 species. Representatives 

 are found in all parts of the globe, and many handsome and singular forms 

 are to be found among them. The genus Mormolyce, containing four species 

 inhabiting the Malay Archipelago and Peninsula, is one of the most 

 remarkable. 



North America possesses about 1200 species of this family; Europe 

 about 1400, and of the latter over 300 occur in Britain. 



Carabus (see Map) is the typical genus, and contains over 300 species, 

 which are mostly confined to the, Palsearctic Region. Representatives are 

 found, however, widely spread in the Nearctic Region, while a few forms 

 occur in Chili and even on Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa. Graphipterus, 

 also shown on the Map, is purely African (and Arabian), comprising about 60 

 species. Anthia (see Map) is a group of about 70 handsome species, which 

 range over the whole of Africa, Arabia, and the southern part of the 

 Asiatic mainland. 



CICINDELID^E (Tiger-Beetles). Plate 33, Map v. 



The Tiger-Beetles are active and often handsome insects, fierce and 

 carnivorous in their habits. They are universally distributed, and number 

 about 1500 species. The number of genera and species increases steadily 

 towards the Equator. About 70 occur in North America and about 40 in 

 Europe. Britain only possesses 5, all belonging to the typical genus 

 Cicmdela. The best-known, and the prettiest, of these is C. campestris, 

 which occurs commonly in sandy places throughout the kingdom. 



DYTISCID.&: (Carnivorous Water-Beetles). Plate 33, Map v. 



The Water-Beetles belonging to this family are universally distributed, 

 occurring even in remote oceanic islands. At least 1800 species have been 

 described, of which about 300 are natives of North America, and about 

 220 in Europe. Over 100 species occur in Britain, one of which, Dytiscus 

 marginalis, is a well-known inhabitant of our ponds, and may be taken as 

 a typical representative of the family. 



