THE RHOPALOCERA OF THE NEARCTIC REGIONS. 
63 
circhippus and Pyrameis huntera , the latter having been dubbed 
the “ scarce painted lady ” by English authors. 
W. Harcourt Bath. 
P.S.—I was very interested in the second part of the editor’s 
article, entitled “ Notes on the Butterflies of Eastern North 
America,” but he is in error respecting the White Admiral 
(Limenitis Sibylla) which does not occur at all in the New 
World. He must undoubtedly have mistaken it for an allied 
species belonging to the same genus, of which there are seven 
found in North America. The species of Gonepteryx seen was 
either G. nice nil a or G . cl or vide. 
W. H. B. 
I am deeply indebted to Mr. Bath for the trouble he has 
taken in endeavouring to correct my observations, but I consider 
that probability is as much in favour of one theory as the 
other, and personally I think it immaterial which view is held, 
as I am of opinion that the New World was formerly connected, 
both with Europe and Asia, and that the fauna and flora are 
therefore similar within the same zones of temperature through¬ 
out the palsearctic regions of the northern hemisphere. The 
connection between Western Arctic America and Eastern Asia, 
by means of the Behring Straits, and the remarkable chain 
known as the Alentian Islands, appears to be indisputable ; and 
I think there are strong arguments in favour of a communi¬ 
cation also with Northern Europe, not (as Mr. Bath wishes me 
to suggest) with Southern Europe, by means of “an 1 Atlantis ' 
three thousand miles in length,” and anent which I may merely 
remark that the nearest points on the coasts of Newfoundland 
and Ireland are but little more than half that distance apart ; 
it is in this direction that I would locate my “ Atlantis,” and 
find its probable remains in Ireland, the Shetland and Faroe 
Islands, Iceland, Newfoundland, and possibly Greenland—of 
course assuming that this “ Atlantis ” existed at a time when 
the northern Polar regions possessed a very much warmer 
climate than now, and that such a difference of climate once 
prevailed, is now very generally believed ; this theory having 
also been strongly confirmed since we obtained a more enlight¬ 
ened view of the migrations of birds and many kindred matters. 
That the south-eastern portion of England and the north 
eastern portion of France were formerly the estuary of a great 
river is now a recognised fact among geologists, and speaking 
of this, Sir Charles Lyell (“Elements of Geology,” page 349), 
says : “If it be asked where the continent was placed from the 
ruins of which the Wealden strata were derived, and by the 
drainage of which a great river was fed, we are half tempted to 
speculate on tne former existence of the Atlantis of Plato. 
