84 ' NOVITATES ZoOLOniCAE XXII. 1915 



detailed facts on which I have reached tliem, and which are given under each 

 species. 



In most cases I have no doubt that they are correct, the genitalia of the males 

 being in each species very definite and easily recognised from those of other species. 

 Nor do I myself entertain mnch donbt in the remaining cases, involving for the 

 most part the diflicnlt qnestions as to snbspecies and geographical races, but I fully 

 recognise that a considerably wider research is necessary to arrive at any result that 

 may be accepted as founded not on some definite facts but on a sufficient number 

 and variety of them, of which the breeding experiments that de Niceville desired 

 would be a very important section. 



Such doubts as I have refer in some degree to the forms of bulis, and more 

 particularly to those oitketis. Especially in the case of C. thetis, the general facies 

 and the genitalia vary together, giving local forms that may be regarded as distinct 

 or as geographical races. There is just sufficient gradation in the forms as one 

 leaves India with typical thetis and goes southward and eastward, though the 

 gradation is not very regular, to make one feel satisfied that there is only one species, 

 though of course on the other hand there may be a score or possibly a hundred 

 or more. 



The belief that there is only one species commends itself most to me. Such 

 questions must always arise in cases of closely allied forms, and one must recognise 

 that until abundant breeding experiments with the allied forms are made, one's 

 conclusions are, so far as they are crisp and definite, more a matter of faith and 

 prejudice than of sound scientific appreciation. 



1. Curetis thetis Drury. 



Figs. 8, 9, Bornean example, under- and upperside. 

 „ 14, 15, var. bougaini-illei <J upper- and underside. 

 ,, 1 /, 18, ,, ,, ¥ ,, „ „ 



„ 20, 21, „ egena S, upper- and underside. 

 „' 22, 25, „ fergussoni S , upper- and underside. 

 Appendages fig. 53. Indian form. 



„ „ 54. Ceram „ 



„ „ 55. British New Guinea. 



„ „ 56. var. barsine. 



„ „ 57. „ menestratus. 



„ „ 58. „ fergussoni. 



„ „ 59. ,, bougainvillei. 



„ „ 60. ,, egena. 



„ „ 61. ,, ribbei. 



thetis Drury, ]ll. Ex. Eiit. ii. (1773) p. 16, pi. ix. figs. 3 and 4, ? . 



I am not prepared to assert that Drury's figures represent the species we 

 accept as thetis, or whether they may not be phaedrus ; the locality (Bombay) 

 almost points to the latter, but it is probable that Bombay is rather the place 

 of exportation than the locality of capture. 



However, it has been agreed, apparently nemine contradicente, even by those 

 who regard them as forms of one species, that the broad-bordered Indian form shall 

 be thetis and the narrow-bordered one phuednis, though it is quite jwssible that 

 Drury's insect was really /jhaedrus. 



