OF THE MALAYAN REGION. 37 



proper. The same parallel holds in North Australia. IMany New Guinea species of 

 birds extend, with very slight variation, to the country about Cape York ; but when we 

 reach the Moretou Bay district all these have disappeared, and we find only true Austra- 

 lian species. So the variable forms of O. Poseidon reach North Australia and Cape York, 

 while in the Moreton Bay district we find the comparatively well-marked species O. Rich- 

 mondia. Similar causes, whether geographical or climatal, have thus produced an ana- 

 logous distribution in these ■nddely separated groups of animals. 



3. Ornithoptera Croesus, Felder. 



O. Crcesus, Feld. Wien. Ent. Monats., Dec. 1859. O. Crcesus, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1S59, 



p. 424. 

 Hab. Batchian (Moluccas) [Wall). 



Local form, a. — Ilcde : has the orange colour of the upper surface of a much deeper 

 fiery -red hue ; on the imder surface, the black spots of the lower mngs are nearer the 

 margin, and the yellow spots below them are entirely absent ; there is also a green line 

 between the subcostal nervure and the margin ; on the under surface of the fore wings 

 the green patch in the discoidal cell extends to its base, and is reflexed in a narrow line 

 along its upper edge. 



Femcde : differs still more from that sex in O. Croesus ; the white markings on all the 

 Avings are so large as almost to fill up the spaces between the veins, the lower part of the 

 discoidal cell in both upper and under wings being also occupied ^vith a whitish patch ; 

 the range of spots occupying the posterior margin are of a dusky yellow coloiu'. 



Hab. Ternate (d), Gilolo (2) [JFall). 



This well-marked local form is no doubt peculiar to Gilolo and the small adjacent 

 islands, as the original species is to Batchian. 



I was three months in the island of Batchian before I obtained a specimen of this fine 

 insect, which I had seen once or twice only flying high in the ah*. I at length came 

 upon it flying about a beautiful cinchonaceous shrub with white bracts and yellow 

 flowers [Musscsnda, sp.) ; and having cleared a path roimd about, I visited the place every 

 morning on my way to the forest, and once or twice a week had the satisfaction of cap- 

 turing a fine male specimen of O. Croesus. The females were more plentiful and more 

 easily caught. I afterwards sent out one of my men with a net every day to look after 

 this insect only. He would stay out all day long, wandering up a broad rocky torrent, 

 where the males flew up and down occasionally or settled on the rocks which just ap- 

 peared above the water. He generally brought me one, and sometimes even two or 

 three specimens ; and thus, with those that I myself captured at the flowers, I secured 

 a fine series of this richly coloured species. 



4. Ornithoptera Tithontjs, De Haan. 



0. Tithoms, De Haan, Verb. Nat. Gesch. Ned. t. 1. f. 1. 

 Hab. S.W. Coast of New Guinea (Leyden Museum). 



This remarkable species must be veiy rare, as I never saw it in any part of the New 



