1R95.1 89 



in my cabinet, -nlu'c-h were canglit near Santa Cruz, mcasnring two and 

 three-quarter inchcH across the wings. There is great diversity in this 

 species, some of the insects netted by myself and those netted by my 

 colleague Mr. H. jMordey Douglas, differing greatly in point of size, 

 colouring, and width of the black hind-marginal border, and in the 

 size and colouring of the orange discoidal spots. 



The ? s, in my collection in particular, show great diversity from 

 the ordinary type of C. Edusa, hardly two specimens being exactly 

 alike, the chief difference being in the great size and conspicuous 

 dentation of the yellow makings on the black border of the hind- 

 wings. I have both C. ITclice and C. Hyale. I have lately acquired 

 by purchase the pigmy or dwarf specimen which belonged to Don 

 Eoman Gomez {vide Mrs. Holt White, p. 37), measuring less than an 

 inch. Except in its diminutive size, it presents no variation from the 

 ordinary form of C. Helice. There is a (^ C. Electra in the collection 

 of Mr. Trimen at Cape Town, expanding only 1 inch 5| lin., and there 

 is a ? in the South African Museum only 1 inch 4 lin. 



Both C. Hyale and C. Helice are very rare in Tenerife. I have 

 some dimorphic forms of ? , with the orange-yellow ground-colour 

 replaced by dusky greyish- wbite, the greater part of the hind-wings 

 being suffused nith grey. 



I have also captured C. Electra in Tenerife, an African species 

 of the genus. C. Electra (Linuteus) is very nearly related to the 

 common European C. Ediisa ; the distinguishing characteristic is the 

 deeper ground-colour, and the pink lustre which the lower wings 

 display in certain lights, and the hind-marginal band of the lower 

 wings is blacker and better defined. Indeed, C. Electra is very similar 

 to C. Fieldii, Menet. 



I may here mention (though, perhaps, this is a digression from the real subject 

 of this paper) that to me the whole genus of CoUades seems the most interesting 

 and instructive generic division of Hhopalocera. It comprises about fifty species, 

 and they are nearly all characteristic of Pala;arctic and Nearctic regions. Not only 

 are they interesting from their habits, and the lights thrown on biology and geo- 

 graphical distribution, but the species make up » genus of singular and chastened 

 beauty, running through the gamut of oranges and yellows. They are chiefly found 

 in the northern regions, while there are some of these northern species that are 

 literally arctic. One species, C. Ilecla, has been taken as far north as latitude 83^ N- 

 It is generally tliought by naturalists now that these arctic Coliadce are survivors of 

 the circumpolar fauna in ante-Pliocene times,* when there existed in these regions a 

 milder and more uniform climate, and a luxuriant vegetation of tall deciduous trees 

 and evergreens. 



• No fossil remains of in.tecta appear to have been found in the Pliocene formation (Wallace, 

 Geogi-aphical Distribution of Animals, vol. i, p. Itilii ; b\it in tlie lower Croatian Miocene there is 

 a fossil b\ittoifly showing all the wing-nervures and nervules— supposed to bo either a Janonia 

 i>r a Vatitsxa. 



