18G THE MALAYAN PAPIL10NIDJE AS 



Arrangement and Geographical Distribution of the 

 Malayan Papilionidce. 



Arrangement. Although the species of Papilionidaa 

 inhabiting the Malayan region are very numerous, 

 they all belong to three out of the nine genera into 

 which the family is divided. One of the remaining 

 genera (Eurycus) is restricted to Australia, and another 

 (Teinopalpus) to the Himalayan Mountains, while no 

 less than four (Parnassius, Doritis, Thais, and Seri- 

 cinus) are confined to Southern Europe and to the 

 mountain-ranges of the Palaearctic region. 



The genera Ornithoptera and Leptocircus are highly 

 characteristic of Malayan entomology, but are uniform 

 in character and of small extent. The genus Papilio, 

 on the other hand, presents a great variety of forms, 

 and is so richly represented in the Malay Islands, that 

 more than one-fourth of all the known species are 

 found there. It becomes necessary, therefore, to divide 

 this genus into natural groups before we can success- 

 fully study its geographical distribution. 



Owing principally to Dr. Horsfield's observations 

 in Java, we are acquainted with a considerable number 

 of the larvae of Papilios ; and these furnish good char- 

 acters for the primary division of the genus into na- 

 tural groups. The manner in which the hinder wings 

 are plaited or folded back at the abdominal margin, the 

 size of the anal valves, the structure of the antennae, 

 and the form of the wings are also of much service, 

 as well as the character of the flight and the style of 



