TAPILIONIN^E. 227 



by Captain SanJforJ, li.E. In the left wings of tliis example the two 

 disco-cellular spots of the fore-wing are enlarged and confluent, but the 

 terminal streak in cell is almost obsolete, while the spots of the discal 

 series, though with diffused edges and somewhat widened inwardly, are 

 not enlarged, but smaller than usual. The submarginal spots are all 

 but obsolete in the fore-wing and wholly wanting in the hind-wing, — 

 and in the latter the transverse bar is widened and diffused inwardly. 

 The right wings are normal, except for the absence of the small third 

 spot in discal row of fore-wing, and of the first and second spots in 

 submarginal row of hind- wing. 



Apart from the two individuals here noticed, I have found Bcmolcus 

 to be remarkably constant throughout its wide range as regards both 

 pattern and colouring.^ It exhibits occasionally, however, a variation 

 in the transverse bar of the hind-wings, the second division of which 

 is often more or less produced along the lower edge of the costal 

 ocellus so as partly to enclose the latter, and in one ^ (which I captured 

 at Kimberley in 1872) does completely so enclose the ocellus by 

 uniting with the first spot of the submarginal row immediately beyond 

 that marking. 



In size the butterfly seems more impressible by surrounding con- 

 ditions, being noticeably smaller in dry upland interior districts than 

 near the coast. Some specimens that I took on the wing near Kimberley 

 are under 3I- inches in expanse, and Colonel Bowker frequently met with 

 dwarfed specimens in Basutoland (one % that he sent expanding only 

 3 in. I liu., and a ^ not more than 2 in. 7 lin.), though he informed 

 me that others of various sizes up to the ordinary one were to be seen 

 in that territory. The largest South- African examples I have noticed 

 inhabit the Natal Coast (where the species is remarkably abundant) ; 

 but the finest individual I ever measured was taken at Fernando Po 

 by Lieut. Bourke, E.K, of H.M.S. Druid, in 1873 ; it expanded 4 in. 

 9 lin.^ 



The Indian P. Erithonius, Cram., is a very near ally of JDemoleus ; 

 in the fore-wings it scarcely differs, except in the want of the fifth spot 

 of the discal series ; in the hind- wings, the transverse bar is much 

 broader, and constantly very nearly completely encloses costal ocellus, 

 and includes a small additional portion (sometimes, however, isolated) 

 between the bases of second and third median nervules, and the dark- 



^ As Oberthiir notes (Etudes iVEnt., liv. iii. p. 14, 1S78), specimens of Demolcus occur 

 in which all the pale-yellow markings are stained with a dull ochrey-reddish tint. The same 

 aberrant stamp of colour has been noticed in PapUio Machaon, and I believe in some other 

 congeners with pale-yellow markings. The two or three Demolcus of this unusual tint that 

 have come under my notice were all very worn and battered ; and I have conjectured that 

 possibly, under certain circumstances, the pale-yellow in aged specimens is changed into the 

 dingy-reddish tinge in question. 



" It is worth noting that in Mr. Bourke's collection (made at many points along tlie 

 West African Coast) there were Fernando Po examples of three other species of Papilio, 

 which were much larger than the specimens captured on the mainland, viz., P. Nircus and 

 P. Charojpus, both 4 in. 9 lin. across the fore-wings, and P. Meropc, slightly over 5 in. 



