(96) 



TROIDES ALEXANBRAE spec. nov. 



By the HON. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, l'n.U 



Mli. A. S. MEEK has added another very interesting discovery to the 

 many made by him in the Papuan Subregion. In January 1906, while 

 travelling from the north-east coast of British New Guinea inland to the head- 

 waters of the Mambare River, he met with a species of Troides unknown to him, 

 ami obtained a single ?, which he sent me. Mr. Meek remarked in his letter 

 that the insect reminded him very much of Troides victoriae from the Solomon 

 Islands. It is indeed a new species, standing intermediate between Troides 

 victoriae and Troides titkonus, thus bridging over the gulf that separated T. victoriae 

 from T. titkonus, T. priamus, T. goliatk, aud T. ckimaera. 



?. Body as in T. titkonus. Wings more elongate than in that species. On 

 forewing a small patch of white streaks in cell, and two parallel rows of white 

 spots on disc ; the proximal row consists of six spots, extending from R 1 to SM-, 

 the first two and the last spot small, the other three arrowhead- or wedge-shaped, 

 spot M 1 — M- being the largest, measuring 9 mm. in length, and 4i mm. in width ; 

 the spots of the distal row are all small, the first standing in the subcostal fork; 

 there is also a long streak of rather dispersed white scales before the subcostal 

 fork ; vein SO 3 stands proximally of apex of cell, the stalk of SO 1-5 is longer 

 than in T. titkonus : the upper angle of cell is obtuse, R 1 standing nearer lower 



than upper angle ; fringe spotted white from R 2 backwards. Hindwing : SC J 



not quite so far distal as M 2 ; a small spot in cell and seven large jiatches on 

 disc grey-white, slightly yellow on upperside, distinctly yellow distally on under- 

 side ; these patches separated from each other by broad black lines situated on 

 the veins and joining the black marginal band, the distal half of the wing appearing 

 grey-white streaked with black ; the patches bear each a round black spot, except 

 the first, second, aud sixth, in which the spot is vestigial or missing. 



Mr. Meek intends going again to the country where he found this female, 

 and we hope that he will succeed in obtaining a good series of both sexes. The 

 male was seen by him high in the air, but he could not get it. It had elongate 

 wings like the female. 



On account of the relationship of this new species with Troides victoriae we 

 think the name alexandrae to be very appropriate. 



There is possibly another species of Troides in existence in New Guinea, an 

 insect standing in between T. paradisea aud T. goliatk, with the hindwing of the 

 male less reduced than in T. paradisea. 



