DISTRIBUTION OP INSECTS. 



283 



Africa, but throughout the globe, aud of which the larva of the 

 European Cnethocampa processioned presents a familiar example. 

 Duncan (Nat. Libr., Ent. vol. vii. Exotic Moths, pp. 181-2, 

 pi. xxii. f. 5) represents the larva of D. vulnerans as possessing 

 four fascicles of rufous spines, exsertile at will, on both the an- 

 terior and posterior portions of the body, and quotes Lewin to 

 the effect that the wound inflicted oy the fascicles is very painful. 

 According to Mr. Murray's account it would appear that the 

 African larvae, from the handling of which Dr. "Welwitsch ex- 

 perienced such suffering, were near allies (if not actually species) 

 of Doratifera ; and the conclusion is obvious that it was by fas- 

 cicles of spines that the pain was occasioned — not an uncommon 

 case in the warmer parts of the world, and one by no means 

 indicative of any special relation between the Lepidopterous 

 faunas of South-Africa and Australia. 



In explaining the presence of a " Brazilian type " or " ele- 

 ment" in the Coleopterous fauna of "Western Africa, Mr. Murray 

 (p. 63) states that this South- American relation " has also now 

 been recognized in the Lepidoptera ;" but he points out neither 

 on what grounds, nor by whom, the recognition has been made. 

 Among the Hhopalocera, I am not aware of any genus charac- 

 teristic of Brazil that occurs in "Western Africa * ; unless, with 

 Hopffer, we refer the species of Boisduval's genus Crenis to the 

 genus Eunica, Hiibner. 



Referring to Urania Rhipheus of Madagascar, Mr. Murray ob- 

 serves (p. 68) that " it is an unusual thing at any time to meet 

 with a gay-coloured Moth ; but one with metallic brilliancy is still 

 rarer." The former part of this remark certainly does not hold 

 good, even with regard to Europe, when one recalls the Deile- 

 philce and other Sphinges, the " Burnets," the " Tiger Moths," 

 the Catocalce, the brightly tinted Geometrce of many genera, and 

 various diurnal jPyralidce ; while, for metallic adornment, the 

 Plusice and very many Tineina can be cited. But when we turn 

 to tropical and subtropical regions, the proportion of brightly 

 coloured moths is in nearly all groups greatly increased ; and 



* The Nymphalide genus Eurema, Doubl. (which is scarcely separable from 

 Pyrameis), is common to both regions, and also inhabits the West Indies ; but 

 as there are three known African species to five American, it is difficult to as- 

 sign the genus to either fauna. The genus Acrcea, wliich has representatives in 

 South-eastern Asia and in Australia ; is specially African, and the South- 

 American species belong to a very distinct section, which Mr. Butler (Cat. Fab. 

 D. Lep. B. M. p. 128) separates as Actinote, Hiibner. 



LINN. JOUTtN. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. XII. 20 



