NOTES ON CORSICAN BUTTERFLIES. 119 



specimens I captured at Corte, which, although brightly marked, 

 are scarcely larger than the English form. This variety is stated 

 by Lang to occur also in Sicily, which is strange if it is a form 

 differentiated by isolation, as Sicily does not appear to have been 

 joined to Corsica in recent geological time otherwise than by the 

 mainland of Italy. Pararge megara var. tigeliiis is considerably 

 smaller than the type, and the darker markings are not so pro- 

 nounced. Southern Megccra have, however, the same tendencies 

 on the mainland, and I possess somewhat similar forms from 

 Malta. Syrichtiius sao var. therapne is a very distinct form of a 

 species which is rather more constant than most of its congeners 

 on the mainland. It is considerably smaller than the type, and 

 the white spots have a yellowish tinge. Like other purely Cor- 

 sican butterflies, it has a wide range in the island, occurring at 

 the sea-level near Ajaccio, and at an elevation of over 4000 feet 

 near Vizzavona. 



The well-deiined species peculiar to the island, in common 

 with Sardinia, are Papilio hospiton, Argynnis eliza, Satyrus nco- 

 miris, Epincphclc nurag, and CociiotiympJia corinna. Some of 

 these, though perfectly distinct, have a rather close affinity with 

 species occurring on the mainland. The best known of them, 

 P. hospiton, clearly has affinities with P. machaon, and, from its 

 more dusky appearance and less definite markings, it might be 

 the older form. It must, however, be quite distinct at the 

 present time, as P. machaon is not uncommon in the island, 

 often frequenting the same banks, and I never heard of the 

 capture of a hybrid. If really the representative of a form from 

 which P. machaon may have sprung, it must have been isolated 

 at a very remote time, and P. machaon must have subsequently 

 obtained a footing in the island. Several larvae were found in 

 July on Pcacedaniun paniculatum; they are paler than those of 

 P. machaon, and are said by M. Gene, quoted by Lang, to be 

 spiny. In the early stages they certainly are spiny, in common 

 with those of P. machaon ; but they gradually lose their spines on 

 their different ecdyses, and the adult larvse are quite smooth. 

 Argynnis eliza and Satyrus neomiris are not so closely allied to 

 any continental species. As pointed out by Lang, A. eliza is 

 probably nearer to A. niobe or A. adippe than to A. aglaia, to 

 which the greenish ground colour of the under side of the hind 

 wings lends it a superficial resemblance. S. neomiris has its 

 nearest congener in S. arethusa on the mainland — an affinity 

 better seen in the females of the two species, as indeed is usual 

 with allied species. It is, however, quite distinct, and varies 

 (especially in the light band on the fore wings of the male) very 

 considerably in itself. Epinepliele nurag has already been noted 

 as possibly not occurring in Corsica ; its nearest congener on the 

 mainland is probably E. lycaon. Coenonympha corinna was by 

 far the commonest butterfiy near Vizzavona, occurring up to au 



