290 ME. P. H. GOSSE ON THE CLASPIjNG-OEGANS 



I have noticed that, in this species, when the valves are in situ, what I have compared 

 to the wrists of the two harpes meet and close together some considerable distance 

 beyond and above the point of the uncus. This latter, however, is then in actual 

 contact with, or in very close proximity to, the stout spines that beset the ventral edges 

 of the harpe-arms. 



X.B. — My examinations and figures arc all irorn specimens which agree minutely 

 with Lucas's description of " 0. rhadamantus " (Lepid. Exot. ; Paris, 1835, p. 5), called 

 " 0. amphrisius" in his plate ii. fig. 1, having, on the under side of the fore wing, the 

 nervures and nervules conspicuously bordered with light grey. 



Ornpthoptera iieliacon, Pabr. (Plate XXVII. figs. 1 & 2.) 



Valve more regularly rhomboidal, terminating in a finger-point well formed and sym- 

 metrical. Exterior scale-clothing very thin and close, therefore projecting very slightly 

 from the edges, mingled with a few short inconspicuous hairs. The level of the interior 

 forms a narrow shelf as high as the margin on each side, and then descends abruptly 

 to form the concavity. Lining-membrane dull, dark brown. 



Harpe attached by a widely dilated base, whence it proceeds in an oblique direction, 

 unusually close to the dorsal margin, and there, bending abruptly at nearly a right 

 angle, projects more than half the length of its disk beyond the dorsal edge of the 

 valve — a circumstance quite abnormal. The stem is nearly parallel-sided, narrower 

 than usual, appearing to the eye as if a cylinder pressed nearly quite fiat, with one of 

 the sides wanting in the area of the disk, and at the lower half of the column. Put, 

 I think, this appearance is delusive, depending upon the fact that the plate of chitine 

 is thickened irregularly in certain parts, and somewhat bent up at the edges. Disk 

 (PL XXVII. fig. 2) wholly hollowed, with a very irregular cavity. The whole organ is 

 glittering; the uneven surface reflecting points of light from every prominence ; 

 colour gall-yellow, both by reflected and transmitted light. It is armed with but eight 

 teeth, all standing up around the edge ; but the second and fourth, on the ventral side, 

 are either double-pointed, or consist each of two teeth planted close together. All are 

 shaped as in 0. rhadamanthus. I detected no scattered bristles. 



Ornithoptera heliaconoldes, Moore.* (Plate XXVII. figs. 3 & I.) 

 Valve almost exactly as in Haliphron, in outline ; finger-point small, but varying in 

 individuals ; exterior well clad with white scales, which project as a close, even fringe 

 of hair-scales very narrowly beyond the margins. Interior level, with a narrow shelf on 

 the ventral margin : lining-membrane dull chestnut, or sooty brown. 



The harpe has a strong general agreement with those of Darsius and Iieliacon; yet 

 two examples agreed inter se in points in which they disagreed with Iieliacon. The 

 terminal moiety is free ; and the whole is easily detached with a fine knife-point. The 

 disk is merely a portion bent dorsally, at nearly a right angle, but not reaching the 

 margin of the valve : it does not narrow, is scarcely hollowed, scarcely thickened. It 



* I give the name ou the authority of Mr. A. Doncaster, of 30 Strand, who supplied me with specimens from 

 Andaman Island. But it cannot be separated, even as a variety, from the preceding. 



