42 



ISLAND LIFE 



PART I 



most important. The true pheasants (Phasianus) are 

 wholly Paloearctic, except one species in Formosa, as are 

 several genera of wading birds. Though the reptiles of 

 cold countries are few as compared with those of the 

 tropics, the Palasarctic region in its warmer portions has a 

 considerable number, and among these are many which 

 are peculiar to it. Such are four genera of snakes, seven of 

 lizards, five of frogs and toads, and twelve of newts and 

 salamanders ; while of fresh-water fishes there are about 

 twenty peculiar genera.^ Among insects we may mention 

 the elegant Apollo butterflies of the Alps as forming a 

 peculiar genus (Parnassius), only found elsewhere in the 

 Rocky Mountains of North America, while the beautiful 

 genus Thais of the south of Europe and Sericinus of North 

 China are equally remarkable. Among other insects we 

 can only now refer to the great family of Carabidse, or 

 predaceous ground-beetles, which are immensely numerous 

 in this region, there being about fifty peculiar genera ; while 

 the large and handsome genus Carabus, with its alUes Pro- 

 cerus and Procrustes, containing nearly 300 species, is almost 

 wholly confined to this region, and would alone serve to dis- 

 tinguish it zoologically from all other parts of the globe. 



^ The following list of the genera of reptiles and amphibia peculiar to 

 the Palsearctic Region has been furnished me by Mr. G. A. Boulenger, of 

 the British Museum : — 



Snakes. Frogs and Toabs. 



Achalinus— China,, Japan. Pelohates—Em., S.W. Asia. 



CcelopeUis—8. Fau'., N. Af., S.AV. Pelodytes—W.Euvoi^e 



Discocflossus — S. Eur., N. W. Af. 

 j¥acroprotodon—k'. Eur., N. Af. Bombinator—'Eiir., Temp. Asia. 



Taphrometopon— Cent. Asia. Alytus— Cent, and W. Eur. 



Newts. 



Lizards. Salajnandra—Env., N. Af , S.W. 



Fhrynoccphahis — Cent, and S.W. Asia. 



Asia. Cliioglosisa — Spain and Portugal. 



Anguis—YAXxo^e, W. Asia. Salamandrina— Italy. 



Blanus—S.W. Em\, N.W.Africa, Pachytriton— 'Ka.st Thibet. 



S.W. Asia. HynoMus — China and Japan. 



TrogonopMs—k.^. Africa. Gcoinolge—K Manchuria. 



Laccrta—Em. Temp. Asia, N. Omjchodaciylus—J&jisin. 



Africa (one sp. in Salainandrella— Siberia,. 



•W". Af). Ranidens — Siberia. 



Psammodroimos—S.W. Eur., N.W. ^a^r^ic^?/pmts— East Thibet 



Africa. Myctlohatrachus — China, Japan. 



Algiroidcs—S. Eur. Proteus— Caverns of S. Austria. 



