Scientific Notes . 
[July, 
Mississippi and especially from California, by C. R. Osten Sacken. The 
author expresses himself convinced that “the western fauna is essentially one , 
and that many of the characteristic forms of California sooner or later will 
turn up in Colorado.” He has traced unexpected analogies and coincidences 
between the fauna of California and those of Europe, Chili, and even 
Australia, and, on the other hand, has found unforeseen differences from the 
fauna of the Atlantic States. His final summary of results is exceedingly in- 
structive, and must be regarded as a most valuable contribution to animal 
geography. Contrary to his former belief he finds that the Rocky Mountains 
do not form a natural boundary for a distinct entomological fauna. The true 
boundary is an imaginary line, which some place about longitude 98° W., and 
others about ioo°, and to the west of which agriculture becomes precarious 
without the aid of artificial irrigation, owing to the intense dryness of the 
summers. In this region the inseCts, like all other organisms, have to adapt 
themselves to the prevailing meteorological conditions. This accounts for the 
prevalence of the Heteromera among beetles. These inseCts have a remarkable 
power of resisting desiccation, owing to the toughness of their integuments, 
and being noCturnal they escape the aCtion of the sun. Like the Carabidce 
of the same region, also noCturnal, they have usually a black colour. The 
same dryness of soil and climate fosters the fossorial Hymenoptera, and the 
nests of these are again infested by Meloedcz among Coleoptera, and Bomby- 
lidce among Diptera. Similar climatic conditions occur in the eastern 
hemisphere in the Mediterranean region and Central Asia, and there also the 
same forms of life prevail. The author, however, holds that the resemblance 
between the West American and the Mediteranean faunae is not a relationship, 
but a mere analogy, due to similar climatic conditions. Of inseCts the same 
families prevail, but not necessarily the same genera. A totally different case 
is the resemblance between the Californian fauna and that of Northern and 
Central Europe. Here, instead of similarity, there is a striking difference in 
climate. That, therefore, European species should be found in California, 
Texas, and Colorado and yet be wanting in the Atlantic States, points to 
“ some hidden genetic connection between the faunae of Europe and of 
Western America.” Thus the common magpie, unknown in the Eastern 
States, is not uncommon in California. Among inseCts the author furnishes 
many curious instances of this similarity. Sometimes genera are common to 
the two regions, sometimes species, and sometimes, again, Californian forms 
find their nearest representatives in Europe. Our English Papilio Machaon is 
almost identical with the P. Zolicaon of California. Plnsia gamma, one of 
the most abundant European moths, is very common in California, but does 
not occur east of the Mississipi. The distribution of the dipterous genus 
Apiocera is most remarkable; hitherto it has been only found in Chili and 
Australia, but the author describes a species from California. Mr. P. R. 
Uhler’s report on the inseCts collected by himself in 1875, and on the Hemiptera 
collected by Dr- Packard, Jun., is also important. He describes inseCt life as 
very abundant in Colorado. “On the open commons of the city of Denver,” 
he writes, “ I was delighted to see large patches of showy flowers, and to 
observe how certain inseCts of similar colours flew to and rested upon them. 
Very conspicuously was this the case with a delicate blue Lupin. Two species 
of the little blues, Lyccena melissa and L. rapahce, settled upon these flowers, 
and when at rest were very difficult to recognise.” The swarms of grass- 
hoppers — one of the greatest pests of Western America — attracted the author’s 
attention. He noticed that the females were much more numerous than the 
males — in the cases where he was able to count even to the extent of ten to 
one. Into the lists of inseCts captured or seen, and the detailed descriptions of 
the Hemiptera, we cannot of course enter. The same remark must apply to 
Dr. A. S. Packard’s descriptions of Dr. Thorell’s collection of spiders from the 
Colorado territory. 
From the records of the “ Geological Survey of India ” we learn with regret 
the resignation of Dr. Oldham, owing to declining health. As Superintendent 
of the Geological Survey of India and President of the Asiatic Society of 
Bengal, he has “ made his mark ” and rendered the most important services to 
