174 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



examination were made by collectors, especially in the mountain 

 districts, these dark forms would be more frequently met with. 



As I am not aware, however, of this variety of the male of 

 H. merope having been described before, 1 have thought it of 

 sufficient interest to place it on rocord. 



I have also taken this opportunity to add the description of a 

 similarly dark form of a male of //. jihileropfi, Boisd., which has 

 been in the collection of the National Museum for many years, 

 together with a few notes on the variation of this species. 



Heteronympha merope, Fabr. 



Var.A. — Fore-wings. — Upper side. — The basal half as in typical 

 form, the markings, however, being rather suffused. Remainder 

 of wings strongly suffused with blackish-brown, which extends 

 along the costa and dorsum almost to base. The usual orange- 

 brown markings are very slightly indicated by very small suffused 

 patches on veins 2 and 3, a rather more distinct spot below 

 ocelli, and a faint patch below costa at two-thirds. Ocelli 

 very indistinct, with a very small bluish-white central dot. 

 Under side. — Almost as equally suffused as upper side, but with 

 apex paler. Ocelli suffused, and without the surrounding black 

 ring. Thorax and abdomen darker than in typical form. 



Ilind-ivings. — Upper side. — The basal half to just beyond cell 

 and along the dorsum as in typical form, except that the cell is 

 almost completely occupied with a suffused dark patch. 

 Remainder of wings blackish-brown, the ocelli being fairly 

 distinct, but with the marginal ring present only on the inner edge. 

 Under side. — The dark suffusion as on upper side, though not 

 so intense nor extending quite to the margin. The usual wavy 

 line running through cell is only indicated by three suffused 

 broad patches. Ocelli without the marginal ring. 



Var. B. — Similar to A, though more generally suffused. The 

 dark suffusion extends further in cell of fore-wings, while it is 

 almost absent in that of hind-wings. The ocelli of hind-wings is 

 completely encircled with the orange-brown ring. 



Var. C. — Approaching the typical form, but with the markings 

 suffused, especially on hind-wings. Fore-wings. — All the dark 

 markings beyond the cell extend to the dark marginal band, 

 which is much broader than in typical form. The ocelli are 

 represented by small black spots without the usual bluish-white 

 iris. Under side. — As in typical form, but the dark markings 

 rather broader and somewhat suffused. 



Hind-wings. — ^The dark markings on outer half of wings 

 coalesce and form a broad marginal band extending from costa 

 to dorsum, and running inwards in centre to end of cell, but not 

 enclosing ocelli, which are as in typical form. Under side. — 

 Markings as on upper side, but very pale and indistinct. 



