64 Animal Geography . [January, 
species, not nearly related to each other, “ all broadly 
banded or suffused with white.” “ The small island of 
Amboyna produces larger-sized butterflies than any of the 
larger islands which surround it. This is the case with 
at least a dozen butterflies belonging to many distinct 
genera.” 
Corresponding cases of paleness are found in Fiji, in the 
Andamans, and in Jamaica. 
In Celebes, as Mr. Wallace has shown in an earlier work,* 
instead of any modification of colour, there is “ a peculiar 
form of wing and a much larger size running through a 
whole series of distinct butterflies.” 
The Philippine Islands seem to have the property of de- 
veloping intense metallic lustre, both in butterflies and 
beetles. Thus the hind wings of Ornithoptera Magellanus 
“ glow with an intense opaline lustre not found in any other 
species of the entire group, and Adolias calliphorus is larger 
and of more brilliant metallic colouring than any other 
species in the Archipelago. In these islands, also, we find 
the extensive and wonderful genus of weevils, Pachyrhynchus , 
which in their brilliant metallic colouring surpass anything 
found in the whole eastern hemisphere, if not in the whole 
world.” 
Continental districts likewise have their peculiarities of 
colouration. Thus two unrelated groups of butterflies from 
tropical Africa “ are characterised by a prevailing blue-green 
colour not found in any other continent.” Similarly, in 
South America, “ nine very distinct genera are implicated 
in parallel changes, groups of three or four of them ap- 
pearing in the same livery in one district, while in an 
adjoining district most or all of them undergo a simultaneous 
change of colouration or marking.” 
These local peculiarities may perhaps be overlooked be- 
cause they occur in inseCts, but Mr. Wallace very aptly 
asks- — What should we think if similar phenomena were to 
be traced amongst large mammals ? 
In birds, however, local characteristics of a corresponding 
nature occur, as the author proves by reference to the avi- 
faunse of the West Indies, the Andamans, the Philippines, 
Celebes, Timor, Flores, and Lord Howe’s Island. In New 
Guinea, Australia, Madagascar, and the Mascarenes we have 
black parrots and pigeons — a curious instance of the phe- 
nomenon known as melanism. 
* Contributions to the Theory of Natural Sele&ion, pp. 168—173. 
