59 



sijllius (Herbst., 1796). The plates of both these authors are excel- 

 lent, and the figures supplied by Herbst., plate 188, figs. 3 and 4, 

 closely resemble the type form of })herH»a. Once more Oberthiir 

 has forestalled my opinion about these species when he writes in 

 his " Lepidopterologie Comparee," vol. iii., 1909, that " between 

 ariie and p/terusa and psi/che {sijllius), such great affinity occurs " 

 that he considers the two latter are geographical races of arije. In 

 this view I quite agree, and I would go further and add hies to the 

 group. This is a group where " crossmg " might occur, but as I 

 have no data to go upon I will leave this point for more experienced 

 collectors to discuss. 



Melanargia japygia. 



The third root-stock is M. japygia, Cyril, whose figure (1787) is 

 quite good, but his description does not assist us much. Hiibner's 

 figures— for he gives us two species— are excellent, (1) clotho, with- 

 out a black band on the hindwings, and (2) atropoa {synon. japi/gia, 

 Cyril) with a small band. Oberthiir supplies us with life-like por- 

 traits in his work, vol. v., part 1, plate 59, and with descriptions at 

 page 315, etc. The specimens figured were captured at Avellino, 

 not far from Naples, and are probably the descendants of Cyril's 

 species. He gives normal J , upperside ; and six $ s underside, 

 showing various small differences in the eye marks, one being 

 asymmetric, another embryonic, and others varying in depth of colour. 

 Besides these he has figured three specimens of var. deantlie and 

 one with no eye markings. He remarks that one space on the 

 underside otjapyi/ia is usually free from a spot, and gives one speci- 

 men with a well defined spot in that space. Mr. Durrant has 

 pointed out to me that Cyril's figure also shows a well defined spot 

 there, and I find in my specimens that they dift'er — the largest num- 

 ber have no spot, a few have an embryonic spot, and another few a 

 well defined spot. 



The Sicilian form of japyi/ia, which has been said to belong to 

 var. atropos, Hilbner, is a very fine insect, much larger than the 

 figures given by him. The band on the hindwing is as well 

 defined as that of yalatliea, so it is necessary to search for points of 

 difterence between them For myself I separate the two species by 

 the upperside of the forewing. In (jalatliea the pattern is divided 

 into three well defined portions, while japyyia is divided into four. 

 Seitz describes the difference thus: — "The forewing of japi/tfia is 

 crossed about the middle by a transverse line dentate like a saw." 

 Oberthiir has supplied us with a key from the underside of the hind- 

 wings, and has pointed out that the last nervure (next to the body) 

 differs. In (jalathea it is shaped something like a Y, the upper half 

 being duplicate — this is the case in lachesis, procida, tinra, herta, 

 and litcasi, while in japytjia the nervure is perfectly straight I with- 

 out any doubling. 



On the yfing japi/i/ia is easily distinguished by its hurried flight, 



