EIIOPALOCERA MA LA VAX A. 143 



Genus PARTHENOS. 



Parthmos, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 38 (1810) ; Moore, Lep. Ceyl. i. p. 16 (1881). 

 Miui'tvd, Boisd. Voy. Astrol. Lep. p. 126 ( 183-2 1 ; Wostw. Gen. Diurn. Lcp. p. 205 (1850). 



Anterior wings siibtriangular and much elongated ; costal margin moderately arched ; apical angle 

 rounded, the outer margin very oblitjue and scalloped ; the inner margin oblique at base and slightly concave 

 near centre. Costal nervure robust, extending about two-thirds the length of the wing ; first and second 

 subcostal nervules emitted before the end of cell, the lirst a little beyond middle of cell, the second 

 a short distance before end of cell, the second becoming ampliated and convex towards its apex ; third 

 emitted at about three-fourths from base, and also ampliated and convex ; fourth and fifth bifurcating 

 a short distance from base of third ; the fourth prominently angulated near its middle ; middle disco- 

 cellular nervule nearly straight, obliquely directed inwardly ; lower disco-cellular very slender, obliquely 

 concave, closing cell. Median nervules widely separated, the first slightly curved inwardly. Posterior 

 wings subquadrangular and ovately elongate ; costal margin nearly straight, obliquely rounded towards 

 apex, the outer margin broadly scalloped, and most prolonged at apices of first and second median 

 nervules ; anal angle obliquely rounded. Precostal nervure forked anteriorly ; costal nervure regularly 

 arched from base ; lower disco-cellular nervule more or less aborted, slender and indistinct. Body robust ; 

 abdomen small. Antenna nearly straight, terminated by a very slender and gradually formed club. 

 Palpi compressed and parallel. 



This is a rather small genus (if we do not consider all the local varieties as of specific 

 rank), which, found in Continental India, Ceylon, and the Andaman Islands, extends eastwards 

 through the Malayan Ai'chipelago to the Papuan Regions. 



We have lately received our first knowledge of the transformations of a species of this 

 genus from the excellent drawings of a Ceylon species made hy the Bros, de Alwis, and 

 pubhshed in Moore's ' Lepidoptera of Ceylon.' * According to Mr. Hutchison, this butterfly 

 "sits on large leaves with wings spread." t Capt. Mortimer J. Slater met with i'. (jamhrisius 

 at Dacca, " in the deepest jungle." I 



1. Parthenos gambrisius, (•((;•. lilacinus. (Tab. XI., tig. 7 2 .) 



Papilio Giiiiibrisiuf:, Fabricius, Eut. Syst. iii. 1, p. 85, u. 264 (1793). 



Minetra Gumbi-isiiis, Doubl. & Hew. (uec. Fabr. ), Geu. Diuru. Lep. t. 51, f. 2 (1850). 



Parthenos lilaciints, Butl. Trans. Liim. Soc. ser. 2, Zool. vol. i. p. 544 (1877). 



Male and Female. Anterior wings above olivaceous ; cell containing a basal lateral black streak 

 curved downwards before the third median nervule, and connected with the subcostal nervure by a curved 



* Although this species is not fuiiud iu the Malay Peninsula, it is at least a very open question whether both it and the 

 Malaccan insect are not different varieties of the In<lian P. fjamhri.uus, and therefore the description ot the larva anil pupa 

 as found in Ceylon may serve as a f,'uide in the Malay I'eninsula :— " Larva cylindrical, pale purpbsh brown, darker beneath, 

 with dark brown longitudinal dorsal hues and transverse white spotted lines; head and anal segment spined, other segments 

 sUghtly haii-y ; third to twelfth segments armed with branched spines, which are longest on third, fourth, eleventh anil tweltth 

 segments. Feeds on Modecca. Pupa pale jnirplish brown, somewhat fusiform; head pointed and clelt (Lep. Ceylon, 

 i. p. 47). 



f Ibid.— This is an aberrant habit in the Nymjjhalithc and other Ehopalocera, excepting many Hesjperida:, and is 

 paralleled in Tropical America by species of the genus Atjeroiua. 



\ Horsf. & Moore, Cat. Lep. Mus. E.I.C. i. p. 148. 



