same species as that discovered by Mr. Swinhoe in the Summer-palace of the Chinese Emperor.*

93. Equus hemionus, Pall.-The Dsiggetai seems to be generally spread over the highlands of Central Asia. It is now generally allowed that the Kiang of Thibet (Asinus polyodon sive kiang, auct.) is in nowise different from the true E. hemionus of Pallas, and that the Wild Ass of Western Asia and the desert of Cutch (which is bred in the Zoological Gardens of Europe, and commonly, but erroneously, called Equus hemionus) is nothing more than the Equus onager of the same author. Herr Radde met with the Dsiggetai in the neighbourhood of the Dalai-Nor, on the Mongolian confines, and obtained several specimens.

94. Phoca annellata, Nilsson.-The occurrence in the fresh-water of Lake Baikal of a Seal identical with one of the species of the North Atlantic, is certainly a remarkable fact in geographical distribution, and we should rather be disposed to question the correct determination of the species. Although Seals are still found in considerable numbers in Lake Baikal (40 individuals were killed at one village in 1859), they are greatly reduced in number since the time of Pallas, when the Baikal Seal-fishery was of great importance, and Herr Radde only brought home with him a single specimen, namely, that of a three to four year-old female. This, however, appears to agree best so far as osteological characters go, with Phoca annellata, while P. caspica of the Caspian is more nearly allied to P. vitulina. In external appearance the Baikal Seal is, however, different from the ordinary form of the Ringed Seal of our seas, being of a uniform steel-grey colour, without spots. But this variation in the colour of the fur is also met with in specimens of the common Phoca annellata of the Atlantic.t

After thus recording at full length the particulars concerning each of the Mammals met with during his travels, our author proceeds to draw some interesting deductions as to the general charac

This animal is described and figured by Dr. Gray (P. Z. S. 1861 p. 236, pl. xxvii.) as Cervus pseudaris (?); but has recently been named by Mr Blyth Cervus mantshuricus. See Mr. Blyth's paper "On the true Stags," &c., read before the Royal Irish Academy, Jan. 14th, 1864.

† Cf. Nilsson in Weigman's Archiv. 1841, p. 312.

ter of the Fauna of South-eastern Siberia and the adjoining lands, and to give illustrations of his views in several well-executed charts. Inner Asia, between the 90th degree of East Latitude and the 42nd and 50th degrees of North Latitude, comprises, according to Herr Radde, portions of three different Sub-faunas, namely:

(1.) The South Siberian Fauna, in the more restricted sense, is that which pervades the whole wooded district of Southern Siberia north of the 50th parallel, being bounded on the south, inland, by the high-steppes, which belong to the next (Mongolian) region, and towards the coast by the North Mantchurian Fauna, which comes into the south of the Amoor-valley. Of 57 species of Mammals found within its confines, 41 are also found in Europe-16 are exclusively Asiatic. The large number of species common to this region and Europe is accounted for by the uniform character of the intervening land and the fact that the Ural (the only interposed range) appears to have had no influence in causing variation among the higher forms of animal life, Eastern European species being predominant all over the western system of the Yenissei.

The exclusively Asiatic species are chiefly modified forms of genera, which are also prevalent in Europe, such as Mustela, Canis, Spermophilus, Arvicola, and Lagomys. Two generic forms only (Siphneus and Moschus) are entirely foreign to the European Mammal-fauna.

(2.) The North-Mantchurian Fauna, as designated by Herr Radde, is that which occupies the region between the high steppes of Central Asia and the Pacific, to the south of the great bend of the Amoor, but likewise embraces the wide valley of the more southern portion of this stream. The number of Mammals recorded as occurring in this region is 57, 46 of which are common to the South-Siberian Fauna.

Of these 57, 36 are Europæo-Asiatic species, showing a slight decrease in the European element when compared with the former region. The great difference, however, which distinguishes the two is the presence here of certain Indo-Chinese and Japonico-Chinese forms, although not to any great extent, such as Ursus tibetanus (?), Mustela flavigula, Canis procynides, Felis undata, Talpa wogura, and Antilope crispa. We suspect, indeed, that when our knowledge is further advanced we shall find the Fauna of Mantchuria nearly identical with that of Japan.

(3.) The MONGOLIAN FAUNA is that which pervades to the high arid treeless steppes of central Asia, and is characterized, when contrasted with the two former Faunas, by the following peculiarities:1. Poverty of species, induced by the uniformity of its physical conformation.

2. A very noticeable diminution of Europæo-Asiatic species, which here only amount to one-half of the total number observed.

3. A similar reduction of the number of species common to high northern latitudes when compared with the South-Siberian Fauna. 4. Comparative increase of the number of exclusively Asiatic species.

5. The presence of only one southern incursionist, the Tiger, and this only at the northern edge of the high steppes.

While the South-Siberian Fauna has only 2 Mammals absolutely peculiar to it, and the North Mantchurian only 3 such, and these, in each case, are chiefly of diminutive size and insignificant features in the Fauna, the Mongolian Fauna has no less than 12 Mammals entirely confined within its limits, and among these are some of large dimensions and striking character, namely

7. Arvicola mongolicus.
8. Lepus tolai.

9. Lagomys ogotona.
10. Aegoceros argali.
11. Antilope gutturosa.
12. Equus hemionus.

Putting these three Sub-faunas together, so as to obtain one view of the whole East-Siberian Fauna, as examined by Herr Radde, we find that it contains 85 species, namely

With these results Herr Radde concludes the first volume of his. valuable work, in which, besides the accurate description of many new or little known species, and great additions to our knowledge of the life, habits, and distribution of the Mammals of Eastern Siberia, we find the following important facts in geographical distribution established or confirmed, namely:

:

1. The extension of European forms of life over the whole northern portion of the great eastern continent, thus binding it all into one primary Zoological Region, which has been named the Palaearctic Region.

2. The discovery of Japanese forms on the mainland, showing that the Japanese Islands are not so distinct in their natural products, as had been formerly imagined to be the case.

3. The advance made in our knowledge of the Fauna of the high platform of Inner Asia (the Mongolian Fauna of Radde), from which it would appear that one Fauna prevails over the whole interior of that continent, from the summit of the Himalayas to the northern edge of the steppes.

The succeeding volumes of H. Radde's work, which will be anxiously awaited by all lovers of science, will, no doubt, afford us further illustration of these points, and increase our knowledge of the general aspects of the East-Siberian Fauna.

XXVIII.-SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES.

RHOPALOCERA AFRICA AUSTRALIS ; A CATALOGUE OF SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES: COMPRISING DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL THE KNOWN SPECIES, WITH NOTICES OF THEIR LARVÆ, PUPÆ, LOCALITIES, HABITS, SEASONS OF APPEARANCE, AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. By Roland Trimen, Member of the Entomological Society of London. Part I. Papilionidæ, Pieridæ, Danaidæ, Acræidæ, and Nymphalidæ. Cape Town: W. F. Mathew. 1862.

No small degree of credit may be claimed by Mr. Trimen for

being the first to give to the world a complete descriptive treatise on an important portion of the Insect-fauna of any one of our numerous colonies: and this without aid from authorities, colonial or otherwise. The thanks of Naturalists are the more deserved, seeing that the work, as far as it has gone, is remarkably well done. He has followed the most generally-received classification, and given in a compact and cheap form brief definitions of the families and genera, with notes on the transformations, and excellent descriptions, free from unnecessary technicalities, of all the known species. These features must enhance the utility of the work to collectors of insects residing in South Africa, for whose guide it appears to be principally intended. But it will be extremely useful to Entomologists, and, indeed, to Naturalists in general, as all portions of local faunas, especially of little known parts of the world, must be, when they are founded on personal observation, with accurate determination of species, and are made to comprehend all that was previously known of the subjects to which they relate. In the mode of execution we might almost cite Mr. Trimen's book as a model for Entomological faunists: since, in addition to copious notes on times of appearance, habits, and stations, he has given the range, and often also the variation of each species, not only within the area to which the treatise relates, but over other regions-a kind of information which, although of the highest importance, is scarcely ever found in local faunas. We have, therefore, or shall have, when the already-announced second part is published, a most useful book of reference on the Diurnal Lepidoptera of extra-tropical Southern Africa. A treatise of equal scope and usefulness, we are bound to say, does not exist on the same portion of the fauna of any part of the world, even of wellworked Europe.

If we may judge from the five families contained in this first part, which comprehend probably about half the known species of South African Diurnal Lepidoptera, this part of the world is tolerably rich in genera and species of this important group. It seems to be, in this respect, about equal to Europe, including the circuit of the Mediterranean; for Europe has 106 species of these families, and 21 genera, whilst extra-tropical Southern Africa has 105 species and 25 genera. In looking through the list, the utterly foreign character of the suite of genera and species must strike the Entomologist familiar with the European Lepidopterous fauna. The two regions have very little in common; in fact, fewer characteristic N.H.R.-1864.

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