CHAP. X.] 
THE PAL® ARCTIC REGION. 
227 
procyonoides ), an animal confined to North China, Japan, and 
the Amoor Valley, and having no close allies in any other part 
of the globe. In the distance are some deer, a group of animals 
very abundant and varied in this part of the Palaearctic region. 
Reptiles and Amphibia. — Reptiles are scarce in North China, 
only four or five species of snakes, a lizard and one of the Geck- 
otidse occurring in the country round Pekin. The genus Halys 
is the most characteristic form of snake, while Callophis, an 
oriental genus, extends to Japan. Among lizards, Plestiodon, 
Maybouya , Tachydromus, and Gecko reach Japan, the two latter 
being very characteristic of the Oriental region. 
Amphibia are more abundant and interesting; Eynobius, 
Onychodactylus , and Sieboldtia (Salamandrkke) being peculiar 
to it, while most of the European genera are also represented. 
Fresh-water Fish. — Of these there are a few peculiar genera ; 
as Plecoglossus (Salmonidse) from Japan; Achilognathus, Pseu- 
doperilampus , Ochetobius, and Opsariichthys (Cyprinidae) ; and 
there are many other Chinese Cyprinidm belonging to the border 
land of the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. 
Insects — The butterflies of this sub-region exhibit the same 
mixture of tropical and temperate forms as the birds. Most of 
the common European genera are represented, and there are 
species of Parnassius in Japan and the Amoor. Isodema, a 
peculiar genus of Nymphalidae is found near Ningpo, just within 
our limits ; and Sericinus , one of the most beautiful genera of 
Papilionidse is peculiar to North China, where four species occur, 
thus balancing the Thais and Doritis of Europe. The genus 
Zephyrus (Lycsenidae) is well represented by six species in J apan 
and the Amoor, against two in Europe. Papilio paris and 
P. bianor, magnificent insects of wholly tropical appearance, 
abound near Pekin, and allied forms inhabit Japan and the 
Amoor, as well as P. demetrius and P. alcinous belonging to 
the “ Protenor ” group of the Himalayas. Other tropical genera 
occurring in Japan, the Amoor, or North China are, Debts, 
Neope , Mycales'is, Ypthimia (Satyridae) ; Thaumantis (Mor- 
phidae), at Shanghae ; Euripus , Neptis , Athyma {Nymphalidae) ; 
Terias (Pierkkn) ; and the above-mentioned Papilionidae. 
Q 2 
