SUMMARYHistorical biogeographic analyses of abstract examples obtained by the parsimonious technique Component Compatability (CC) are interpreted. Subjects such as Brooks' Parsimony Analysis (BPA), vicariance, dispersal, extinction, primitive absence, non‐reaction to speciation events, coding techniques, missing areas, interdependence between contemporary species and ancestral species, hybrid areas, outgroup areas, and peripheral areas are treated. Distributions are explained in principle as vicariance events; homoplasies givead‐hocexplanations such as dispersal, extinction, etc. Methods still need to be improved as several problems in the interpretation of areagrams are due to their inadequac