348 



RHOPALOCERA MALA YANA. 



violaceous scales which extends to alxlomiual margin, and being divided by the lower median nervule ; a 

 subraarginal series of reddish lunulate spots placed between the nervules, the two within the area of the 

 caudate" appendage duplex, and a large reddish spot near anal angle with a blackish centre, the fringe 

 alternately creamy and blackish . Anterior wings beneath much paler than above ; posterior wings as 

 above, but with the submarginal spots larger and irrorated with bluish scales and the fringe-like spots 

 also larger than above. 



This is the form depicted at Tab. XXXIII., fig. 10. 



Exp. wings, <? and ? , 80 to 110 millim. 



H.\B. — Continental India : N.W. Himalaya (Lang and Hocking— Moore) ; Bengal (coll. Moore) ; 

 Sikkim (de Niceville).— Ceylon (Thwaites— coll. Dist.).— Tenasserim ; Ahsown, Meetan, Taoo (Limborg— 

 Moore).— Malay Peninsula ; Quedah, Penang, Province Wellesley (coll. Dist.) ; Perak (Kiinst.— Calc. Mus.) ; 

 Malacca (Pinwill— Brit. Mus. ; Biggs— coll. Dist.) ; Singapore (coll. Wall.).— Sumatra (Snellen).— Billiton 

 (coll. Godm. & Salv.).— Java (Vollenh.) ; Batavia (Snellen) ; Bantam (coll. Dist.).— Borneo (Lowe— coll. 

 Godm. & Salv.) ; Sandakan (Pryer— coll. Dist.) ; Banjermasin (coll. Dist.).— Timor (Vollenh.).— Philippines 

 (Beak.).- Siam : Chentaboon, Nahconchaisee (Druce).— Cochin China (Oberthur).— China (Horsf. & Moore) ; 

 Canton (Vollenh.) ; Chekiang and Kiangsu Provinces (Pryer*).— Chusan (Horsf. & Moore). 



Considera1)le variation exists in the length of the caudate appendages to the posterior 



wings, and as Mr. Wallace pointed out, " The continental specimens have all considerably 



developed tails in both sexes; the insular specimens, on the other hand (which I treat as 

 a separate species), have only a prominent tooth or very short tail in the males." t Messrs. 

 Godman and Salvin also described the same character in Billiton specimens, in which the 

 " caudal appendage" " is but slightly developed, and in this respect they agree best with Javan 

 examples." I I cannot, however, separate the continental and insular specimens as distinct 

 species, for my own collection contains examples from Banjermasin in which the males have 

 these appendages well developed, whilst in other males from North Borneo they are almost 

 obsolete. We can, however, accept Mr. Wallace's axiom in a general sense, and certify that 

 insular specimens do, as a rule, vary from continental ones more or less in this respect. 



The most interesting fact in relation to this species is its polymorphism in the female sex. 

 Mr. Wallace first published these facts in his excellent memoir on the Malayan Papilionida', 

 and they have since been abundantly verified. The first form of the female more or less 

 resembles the male, as has already been pointed out (Tab. XXXIII, figs. 8 and 9) ; the second 

 and most common form is that depicted at Tab. XXXIII., fig. 10, whilst a third form— but 

 one at present unknown to the writer as having been found in the Malay Peninsula — is the 

 P. rmmtlus, Cram. These facts do not rest on mere conjecture. We have the statement of the 

 late Dr. Thwaites that in Ceylon he had "repeatedly reared the three forms of female from 

 larvfe apparently quite indistinguishable from one another." § Mr. L. de Niceville has also 

 by experimental breeding placed the question beyond doubt, although, as he says, "My 

 experiments have so far been only partially successful, as from one form of female I have been 

 able to breed males and two forms of females, one like the mother, the other like one of the 

 two female forms"; still, as his experiments were with females of forms II. and III., the 



* Ent. Month. Mai;, veil. xi\-. p. o'i (1877). t Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xxv. p. 51. 



] Prof. Zool. Soc. 1S7.S, p. 641. § Moore's Lepid. Ceylon, vol. i. p. 151. 



