Al'PKSDIX. 



463 



ochraceous-browii, the area near posterior angle greyish, the area beyond cill more or less eastaneous, 

 preceded by a narrow white linear fascia extending from lirst subcostal to lower median ncrvule ; this 

 fascia is followed by a series of five white spots, and these by a cluster of four apical spots of the same 

 colour; two dark spots are placed bej'ond the lower two of the five white spots. Posterior wings beneath 

 with about the upper half castaneous, the remaining area more or loss ochraceous, shaded with castaneous, 

 and marked with a series of white spots, most of which are shaded or margined with dark bluish ; these 

 spots are thus situate :— two subcostal, four (small) subapical, four discal, four (large, and much mar"ined 

 with bluish) on abdominal margin, and a marginal series of lineate spots ; a black spot at anal angle and 

 a smaller black spot between the two lower median nervules. .Body above more or less concolorous with 

 wings; body beneath with legs greyish, mottled and streaked with brownish. 



Exp. wings, S , 36 millim. 



Hab. — Malay Peninsula; Malacca (coll. Staudinger). 



Genus NAEATHURA {antra, p. -M)). 



With a much larger accumulation of specimens than when I previously enumerated the 

 species of this genus found in the Malay Peninsula, and with more prolonged study and 

 comparison with other species from the surrounding habitats, I am compelled to own that 

 our knowledge of some species is still in the most unsatisfactory condition. Several causes 

 have helped to produce this perplexing confusion, a potent one of whicli has been the 

 difficulty in properly identifying many of Mr. Hewitson's species, owing to the very indifferent 

 figuring of the under surface of the wings (a difficulty which I have not been altogether 

 unable to overcome with the figures here given), which has led in some instances to the same 

 species being several times redescribed by different authors, and at the same time not figured. 

 Hence it is almost impossible to verify some identifications without a reference to the typical 

 specimens. Another disturbing element is found in that principal guide to specific difi'erentia- 

 tion, the marking of the under surface of the wings. Here so much variation exists that without 

 breeding it is impossible to say where it either begins or ends, and the shade of blue on the 

 upper surface is often so difi'erent as to lead to only two conclusions, ciz., either that we are 

 dealing with the most closely allied species, or with seasonal forms of one species. 



5. Narathura farquhari {untea, p. 204). 



Female. Resembling the male in hue, but the anterior wings above with a broad costal and outer 

 marginal dark fuscous fascia ; this dark colour being broadest at the apex. 



I am indebted to Lieut. Goodrich for a specimen of tbe female sex of this species, which 

 was probably captured at Singapore.* 



- Attention has akeady been tlrawn to the peculiarity of the recurrence of deep blue coloration in different feniilies 

 of the ELopalueera {antea, p. 260j. The bright gohlen-gretn coloration of N.farijuhan recalls the remarks of 1 roi. Haeckel 

 on the prevalence of this hue in the Eastern tropics. " Eansounet had already ponited out how singularly and universally 

 green prevails in the colouring of Ceylon. Not onlv is the greater portion of tins ever-green isle clothed with an uniailiug 

 tapestrv of rich verdure, but the animals of the most widely dissimilar classes, which live m its woods are consincuous tor 

 their green colouring. This is seen in aU the commonest birds and lizards, butterflies and beetles, which are of every shade 

 of briUiaut green. In the same way the innumerable inhabitants of the sea, ot all classes, are coloured green, such as many 

 fishes and Crustacea, worms (Amphmomc), and sea anemones (Act una); indeed creatures which e sewhere seldom or never 

 appear in green Uvery wear it here ; for instance, several starfish (Uj^hiuni), sea-urchins sea-cucumbers; also some enormoiis 

 bivalves (Tridacna): and Brachiopoda (Lingula), and others. An explanation of this phenomenon is to be found m Darwiu s 

 principles, particularly in the law of adaptation by selection of similar colouring or sympathetic aflini y of colour, as 1 liave 



elucidated m mv ' History of Creation,' vol. i. p. 204 The green coral banks of teylon with their preponderance of 



gieen inhabitants, are as instructive as bearing on this theory as the green land animals are which people the evergreen forests 

 and thickets of the island; but in purity and splendour of colouring, the sea creatures are even more remarkable than the 

 fauna of the forests." — Ernst Haeckel ('A Visit to Ceylon,' pp. lBO-6). 



