af AS ee gt Sake Se Sinn 78 as a eke ie fat ie ae eee Al > i aes 
: 7 A ? oS 
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE VALLEY OF QUITO. 651 
The Valley is not rich in insects, and in this respect is in strong 
contrast with the Pacific and Napo slopes, where there is no lack 
of vegetation, heat and moisture. Collectors have generally con- 
fined themselves to these prolific regions, so that the Valley has 
not received the attention it deserves. Still more, they have gen- 
erally failed to note the vertical and horizontal ranges of the spe- 
cies —important data in illustrating distribution and affinities. 
A systematic exploration of the equatorial Andes, such as has 
been given to Amazonia and Central America by Bates, Salvin 
and Godman, will throw much light on the migration and rela- 
tion of species and the effect of physical barriers. Messrs. 
Hewitson, Walker, Butler and Murray have done most towards 
researches of Bates show that the north-western part of South 
America constitutes quite a distinct province, having a consider- 
able proportion of species peculiar to itself and a general specific 
dissimilarity from the adjoining region of Guiano-Amazonia. 
The insects of the Valley are not only few in number, but are 
dull; there is nothing, e. g., to compare with the magnificent beetle 
Hiophord chri STETA of Napo, which is on the same line of 
latitude, but eight thousand feet lower. It would be interesting 
to know whether the generalization of Bates and Wallace, that 
coleoptera are brighter near the tropics than at the equator, is 
truer of the high altitudes than of the lowlands. 
It would be premature to draw any geological inferences from 
our present data, but the change of species seems to show, as 
Bates observes, that the Columbian highlands (including the An- 
des of New Granada and Ecuador) were formerly separa from 
those of Guiana and Mexico. 
The following list must be very incomplete. 
enoptera. Lepidoptera. 
Bombus? funebris S Smith. Pyrameis carya Hiibn. 
D pn us Smith. Anartia amalthea Linn. 
Apis (sp. Thecla atymna Hew 
= ht andak Pack. Dædalma inconspicua Butler. 
hophora pilifrons Pack Colias Semperi 
Halictus am Pack re eluina ai 
&colia bisignata Amphirene Epaphus Latr. 
ompilus vin ae Pas Euptychia nossis Hew. 
Montezumia Andeus Pick «  harmonia Butler 
) ari 6 tiessa Butler. 
Hypoclinea ursus Mayr 
E lï 
Catagramma ceryx Hew. 
