1898] CLASSIFICATION OF THE DAY BUTTERFLIES 25 



the day butterflies with Oemis and the ' Meadow Browns ' ; if Mr 

 Bates, with Heliconius, classified incorrectly by Mr Eeuter with the 

 ' Wood Nymphs ' ; if Dr Skinner and the Philadelphia Check List, 

 with Danaus and the Limnads. But, if anyone will follow me, 

 then with Parnassius and the ' Mountain Butterflies, 'brinfrinec in 

 their train Papilio and the ' Swallowtails,' and restoring these to 

 their own a2,ain. 



Leaving all subjective ideas severely alone, we may have suc- 

 ceeded in showing that the reasons brought forward by Mr Scudder 

 to sustain the pre-eminence of the brush-footed butterflies are quite 

 hollow. It appears to me that the day butterflies are, considered 

 as a whole, relatively specialised Lepidoptera, and that any sequence 

 of the order should commence with or culminate in them. Whether 

 we are now able to settle the difficult question of development in 

 this order of insects, or whether we are not, it seems to be equally 

 proper to commence our arrangements with the diurnals, and this 

 from practical considerations, having in view all the exigencies of 

 the case. This being so, and appearing to be the common-sense 

 view of the matter, I need not enter here into the difficult question 

 of the comparative specialisations and generalisations of the moths. I 

 wish merely to record my opinion that the book, catalogue or collection 

 will best subserve the interests of science, and will have the most 

 success, which, reckoning with practical and not theoretical and dis- 

 putable considerations, makes its beginning with day butterflies, 

 whatever special sequence of their groups be chosen. But no 

 shadow of a doubt remains upon my mind — we should commence 

 the series of the day butterflies with the Parnassi-Papilionidae. 



A. Eadcliffe Geote. 

 RoEMER Museum, Hildesheim. 



• 



{To he continued next month.) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. 



The figures are obtained by photographic process. 



III = Kadial veins ; IV = Median veins ; V = Cubital veins. 



Fig. 1. Parnassius apoUo. Type of geuus and family. Size 1/1. The specialisation, 

 as compared with Papilio, is to be traced in that IVi of the median series has 

 left cross-vein, and that the position of IVo is cubital on both wings. In the 

 second direction that the radial branches have become reduced in number. 



Fig. 2. Papilio maxluion. Type of genus and family. Size 1/1. The character bind- 

 ing the group Parnassi-Pajjilionidae together is seen in the retained vein IX 

 on internal margin of forewings, the hollowed out internal margin with vein 

 VIII lost, and vein VII shortened, especially in Parnassius. The 

 generalisation of Papilio is shown in the retained intercalary vein marked 

 VI, the central position of IV2 on primaries, the five-branched radius. On 

 hindwings the separation of vein I must be noted, showing that this so- 

 called ' praecostal spin- ' is really a longitudinal vein, which becomes basally 

 absorbed l)y II in Parnassius and most other butterflies. It is partially 

 distinct in Limnas and Zcrvnthia, 



