Puhl. 12. XII. OS. OENEIS. By Dr. A. Seitz. 117 



is rendered impossible. In the nymotypical halimede Mm. (39 b, c) tliis innermarginal stripe is rather broad, halimede. 

 and the ocelH of tlie hindwing beneath are of medium size, being placed in a dark halfband, which is 

 proximally quite straight. In North China, Mongoha and South Siberia. — As ganymedes luihl-Hetinc (39c) ganymedes. 

 specimens have been forwarded to me in which the black is somewhat reduced on both sides; but the 

 differences mentioned in the original description do not hold good, for which reason this but little diverging 

 form has been sunk again in Staudinger-Rebel's Catalogue of Palaearctic Lepidoptera as not being worth 

 a name. — meridionalis Fldr. {= epimede Sfgr) (39 c) is a large form which is broadly black above and meridionalis. 

 appears to occur chiefly at Ning-po and Kiu-kiang. The ocelli of the underside especially are enormously 

 developed. — An aberration wliich is melanotic on both surfaces, bearing only reduced whitish smears 

 between the veins on the otherwise quite dark wings, is ab. lugens Hour. (39 d) ; it is known from Central lugens. 

 China. — The largest form of the present species, and indeed of the entire genus, is montana Lrech (39 c), montana. 

 which occurs chiefly on the Yang-tse-kiang (I-chang, Chang -Yang) and is there no rai'ity. It is almost 

 entirel}' white above, only the veins, the innermarginal stripe and an obHque macular band on the forewing 

 oeing black-brown. 



As M. tneda Gr.-Grslt. several forms have been sent to me in which the dark innermarginal stripe meda. 

 of halimede is replaced by a stripe on the submedian vein, this stripe extending however only to the middle, 

 where it vanishes in the white discal area. Apart from this shadow the wings are either pure white except 

 the black distal margin, or the forewing has at the apex of the cell a shadow}' spot, which is sometimes 

 continued obliquely to the hind angle of the wing. Staudinger & Rebel place this species between japi/gia 

 and fiicasi, but Standfuss was perhaps more correct in treating it as a variety of titea, if the form described 

 by him but not named, in Roman. Mem. Lep. 6, p. 661, really was meda. 



M. leda Leech (= yunnana Oberfh.) (89 d). This insect, though resembling halimede above, has an /edu. 

 entirely different pattern of markings on the underside of the hindwing, some grey spots and stripes being 

 united to a kind of median band recalling occidental forms. The broad deep black hindmarginal stripe 

 the upperside of the forewing leaves no doubt that leda belongs to the series of East-Asiatic forms. It is 

 plentiful in Eastern Tibet (How-kow) in July and August, occurring up to 10000 feet (Leech). It is note- 

 worthy that this species is recorded from the Chinese province of Yunnan, this being so far the only 

 Melanargia which has been observed outside the Palaearctic territories, namely in South China. 



M. syllius Hhst. {= occitanica Esp.) (39 d, e). At once recogniced by the veins and transverse sy/n«. 

 lines forming a network of brown markings on the hindwing beneath, the large oceUi with their heavy 

 whitish violet centres standing in between the stripes. The cell of the forewing above bears a black trans- 

 verse line not far from its apex. Distributed from Spain across the French and Italian Riviera to North 

 Italy and Piedmont. In April and May on rocky slopes covered with boulders, the cTc/ flying briskly about 

 and are rather fast. They always select a rock or boulder to settle on, or the bare ground, but never 

 plants like the other species. The species is very plentiful at its flight-places. — ab. ixora Bdv. (= psyche i.Kora. 

 Hbn.) is the form without ocelli, which occurs among the nymotypical form, but not commonly. — In ab. 

 antixora Obevth., from Hyeres in South France, on the other hand the shadowy and zigzag markings around antixora. 

 the ocelli have disappeared, the ocelli being well developed and standing free on the wing. — In pherusa pherusa. 

 Bdv. (39 e) the short transverse band in the cell of the forewing is shifted towards the centre of the cell 

 and is somewhat different in shape, the reticulate markings and the ocelli of the hindwing beneath being 

 paler. Sicily, in May and June. — plesaura Bell. (39 f) has the hindwing entirely white; of the stripes plesama. 

 only the submarginal lunate band remains, and the ocelH are absent, also from the underside. 



M. ines Hoffgg. {— thetis Him.) (39 e). Above similar to tnjUhis, but the short transverse band ot ines. 

 the forewing heavily black, placed exactly in the centre of the cell and not united with the black discocellular 

 spot. On the hindwing beneath the ocelli are magnificently coloured, the sky-blue centre being successively 

 encircled by russet-red, yellow and lilack rings, the costal ocelli of the upperside being always centred 

 with blue. — In the spring in Andalusia, Morocco, and Algeria on stony heights which are almost bare of 

 vegetation; abundant. 



M. arge Sidz. {■= amphitrite Ilbii) (39 f). Above white, only the submarginal lunate line, the two arge. 

 short bands in the centre and at the apex of the cell, and the beautifully blue-centred ocelli being dark; 

 beneath the markings of the forewing are similarly reduced. In South and Central Italy, but very local, in 

 June. — ab. caeca Stgv. is without ocelli; rare among the preceding. caeca. 



14. Genus: Oeneis Hbn. 



Antenna very short, gradually incrassate towards the tip, the club being very diversely developed. 

 Head small, concealed in the long hairs. Eye naked. Palpus densely and strongly hairy, projecting tor 

 about the length of the head. Forewing more elongate than in most species of Krebia and Melanargia, the 



I 15 



