76 DANAIS.. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



Sj-ria, in Greece, Asia Minor, Arabia, Persia, Kashmir, Soutii Turkestan, and Tibet; in West and Central 



China and on the most southern islands of Japan: besides, in the whole Aethiopian Region, South Asia 



and North Australia; chri/sippHs has also been observed in South Ital}' as a wanderer. The absence of the 



cratippus. insect from Algiers is very remarkable. — In the form cratippus Fldr. (28 a), which frequently occurs in 



Anterior Asia and India, but not exclusively, the honey-yellow colour of the forewing is entirely replaced 



alcippus. by brown, with the e.KCeption of a patch at the anal angle. — In ab. alcippus /■'. (28 8) the hindwing is 



white, except the margin and some yellow scaling at the base. In Syria and Asia Minor, as well as in 



alcippoides. most localites in Africa, among the nymotypical form, often commoner than the latter. — As ab. alcippoides 



Moore a form has been designated which occurs in the Palaearctic Region only on the Canaries and in the 



opposite districts of Morocco, but is frequent in other parts of Africa; it is a transition — from alcippus to 



nymotjrpical chri/sipjyus, the hindwing not being all white except the margin, but only shaded with white on 



doripptis. the disc. — dorippus King (28 b), a form which flies together with chri/slppus in Syria and especially on 



the coasts of the Red Sea (elsewhere: all over Africa and in Western India), pairing with chiysippus, but 



no intergradatious have ever been found; entirely honey-yellow, edged with black, the black and white 



kliigii. apical area of typical ckri/sippus being absent. — klugii Btlr. (28 b) is a dorijipKs-form in which the basal 



albimts. half of both wings bears a dark suffusion; in many places together with chrysippus, but rarer. — ab. albinus 



Lmiz (28 b) has the hindwing washed witli white, standing about in the same relation to dorippus as alcippoides 



to alcippus; in North Arabia (also near Aden and in Africa). — Larva light; all the segments marked with 



black transverse Unes of different thickness, between which there are yellow spots; the 3., 6. and 12. segment 



each bear 2 pointed, flagellate, fleshy appendages, the anterior ones being the longest; on Asclepiadeae, 



especially Asclepias curasavica. Pupa light green or clay-colour, somewhat transparent, with a black-edged 



transverse golden ridge across the black and golden points. The butterflies occur, where it is warm 



enough, aU the year round at every conceiva])le p'ace, even in the streets, being found in the mountains 



up to an altitude of 2000 m. In cooler districts they appear only in summer, but belong to the commonest 



insects while they are on the wing. Tlie flight is flapping, at times somewhat saihng, always slow, straight 



on and very awkward. Also their rising from the ground and out of the grass is a clumsy proceeding, 



every specimen flying by being easily captured, if it does not accidentally work upwards out of reach. 



In the net, too, these insects move so little that they hardly ever tear the wings. 



genutia. D. genutia Cr. (= plexippus F.) (28 e|. Similar to chrysippus, but the honey-yellow disc of both 



wings is traversed by thick black veins. — In Southern Kashmir and Central and West China, generally 

 . not frequent. But very common in the Oriental Region; in the southern Himalayas and in South China 

 sometimes in abundance. — Larva black, with fleshy filaments on the 3., 6. and 12. segments; each segment 

 with white and yellow transverse stripes and dots; on Raphis, Passularia, and Ceropegia intermedia; when 

 young sitting mostly on the underside of a leaf. Pupa transparent green, with black dots on silvery and 

 golden points. 



D. genutia is an excessively common butterfly in many place of the Indian fauna. One sees often 

 whole swarms whirling about like dry leaves, and at the resting places long rows of these insects are 

 gathered on the pendent lianas, sitting sometimes so close together that the specimens touch one another. 

 They have two periods of flight: in spring and again in the autumn, principally in October, when they 

 are especially abundant: however, single individuals occur all the year round. — The cfcf have a distinct 

 scent-pouch on the hindwing. 



plexippus. D. plexippus L. (= archippus F., eri])pus Cr., megalippe Hbn., menippe JJbn) (28c). Larger than 



the previous; the honey-j'ellow wings traversed by dark veins as in geuiifia , but without the white sub- 

 apical band on the forewing. — On the Canary Islands, not rare; elsewhere widely distributed in America 

 and Australia and the islands belonging thereto. — The larva lemon yellow, densely ringed zebra -like 

 with black: fleshy filaments on the 3. and 12. segments; on Asclepias. Pupa hght green, somewhat trans- 

 parent; transversely across the back a black-edged golden ridge. 



The original home of this butterfly is America , which is inhabited from Canada to Patagonia by 

 a number of local forms. In the extreme north of its distribution-area it appears only as a wanderer, not 

 being able to maintain itself there, as the food-plant does not occur. I have always found the larva at 

 large on Asclepias only, but j'oung caught caterpillars accept as food also lettuce, thriving very well on 

 such food. From North-America, where it is known under the name of "monarch", plexippus has become 

 distributed towards the South -West beyond the Pacific Ocean to Australia.*) Old resident collectors have 

 told me that plexippus was unknown there about the middle of the 19. century, and until quite recently 

 one could observe that it became commoner every year. Towards east the butterfly, likewise during 

 historical time, has reached the Canaries, belonging since to the Palaearctic Region. 



*) Presumably tlie pupae have been introduced in tn'.sses of hay. 



