Page:The naturalist on the River Amazons 1863 v1.djvu/38

 habits as their English brethren, running and flying over sandy soils in the bright sunshine. About the same number is found in each of the two countries: but all the Amazonian species are far smaller in size and more obscure in colour than those inhabiting Northern Europe; none being at all equal in these respects to the common English Cicindela campestris, the handsome light-green tiger-beetle, spotted with white, which is familiar to country residents of Natural History tastes in most parts of England. In butterflies I find there are eight genera common to the two regions we are thus pitting against each other. Of these, three only (Papilio, Pieris and Thecla) are represented by handsomer species in Amazonia than in Northern Europe. Three others (Lycæna, Melitæa and Apatura) yield far more beautiful and larger forms in England than in the Amazonian plains; as to the remaining two (Pamphila and Pyrgus) there is scarcely any difference. There is another and hitherto neglected fact which I would strongly press upon those who are interested in these subjects. This is, that it is almost always the males only which are beautiful in colours. The brilliant dress is rarely worn by both sexes of the same species: if climate has any direct influence in this matter, why have not both sexes felt its effects, and why are the males of genera living under our gloomy English skies adorned with bright colours?

The tropics, it is true, have a vastly greater total number of handsome butterflies than the temperate zones; but it must be borne in mind that they contain a far greater number of genera and species altogether.