DIAGORA; DICHORRAGIA. By H. Stichki.. 167 



G. Genus: ]>iag'Ol*a Snell. 



As regards morpliological eharactors tliis genus is very similar to Sasakia, but. the 2. subcostal branches 

 off at a short or moderately long distance beyond the upper angle of the cell. In the shape of the wings the 

 two genera also agree fairly well, but differ very much in colour and pattern. The species of Diagora have the 

 ground-colour light, whitish or greenish, and bear blackish streaks along the veins and spots, especially in tlie 

 outer area of the forewing. The butterflies bear a groat resemblance to certain Danaids and Hestina, differing, 

 also from the latter, very much in structure as well as in habits and the early stages, the habits being the same 

 as in the Apaturids. By thus separating generically the forms dealt with below we put an end to the uncer- 

 tainty with which they have been placed on account of the similarity in aspect with the genera Euripus and 

 Hestina, in a similar way as intended by F. Moore by erecting his genus Parhestina. This author, however, 

 incorrectly rejected the earlier name Diagora, erroneously supposing it to he already employed in the animal 

 kingdom and also on account of supposed lautonomy.*) 



The larva of the genus, as far as known, has the general Apaturid-character: liniaciform, naked, with 

 2 liorns on the head. The butterflies fly around the tree-tops and suck at the exuding sap of trees {D. 

 japonica). 



D. subviridis Leech (6()b) is presumaiily a subspecies of persimilisW estw ., the nymotypical form of which sulwindis. 

 inhabits the Himalaya ; subviridis differs from the same only in the whitish green streaks and spots being enlarged, 

 the underside being of a greenish tint. — Still larger are the light markings in ah. yankowskyi Sm.-Krb., from yankowskyi. 

 Wy-chang, which can only be considered an insignificant aberration. The light colour lias especially increased 

 on the hindwing, on which only the veins are sliaded witli dark, apart from the distal marginal area; especially 

 light is also the underside, the base of the hindwing being slightly yellowish. In the districts injjabited by 

 the main form there occur specimens in whicli the upperside is more abundantly marked with black: the 

 greenish white spots are better defined, the markings of the upperside of the forewing are more distinctly indi- 

 cated beneath, the hindwing is greenish white with a large blackish spot at the costal margin and with more 

 distinct dark markings in tiie marginal area. The name of this form is ab. intermedia Leech; West-China: Mupin: intermedia. 

 Wa-ssu-kow, Ta-tsien-lu, in June, July. Some specimens resemble the form from the Western Himalaya, zella 

 Btlr., others again form a transition to chfnensis Leech (56c). In this the ground-colour is white, restricted to cliinensis. 

 sharply defined spots and stripes in consequence of the extension of the black, the underside of the hindwing 

 bearing a yellow spot at the base and a stripe of the same colour at the costal as well as the abdominal margin; japonica. 

 Mupin, Wa-shan. — japonica Fldr. (= Diadema diagoras Hew.) (56b, c) is very similar to the preceding form, 

 but usually somewliat larger, the stripes and spots being slightly yellowish and the dark markings of the under- 

 side reduced and diffuse. An extreme of this direction of development is reached in ab. australis Leech (56e), anstra/is. 

 which flies together with japonica. Here the yellow colour is much extended on the upperside, the prevalent 

 tint of the underside being a yellowish while; occurs iii both sexes, but especially often among the ??. Widely 

 distributed in Japan, in 2 broods. One often observes the butterfly flying around the tree-tops, especially 

 Celtis, or imbibing the sap flowing from the borings of insects. The larva is green, in shape like that of the 

 Apaturids, with 2 strong horns on the head ; it hibernates on branches of trees, assuming the grey colour of the bark. 



D. viridis Leech (60a) is a larger, lighter coloured form, with a very similar pattern, which also indicates viridis. 

 a close affinity of this species with mena Moore, whose habitat is not known, the insect occurring presumably 

 in the Himalaya. The groimd-colour of viridis is pale green, the markings consist of blackish streaks, which, 

 on the forewing, are distally dilated to form a broad dark area bearing light spots. On the hindwing beneath 

 the base and a streak each at the costal and abdominal margins are yellow, and the dark markings of the 

 upperside are here feebly indicated and diffuse. The ? is similar, the pale stripes are enlarged in consequence 

 of the reduction of the black markings. Central China: Chang- Yang, in June, July. — nigrivena Leech (60b), nigrivena. 

 which is connected with the preceding by intergradations, has more numerous light sjiots in the dark distal 

 area of the forewing, the hindwing is somewhat incurved at the median veins and Ijears feeble traces of reddish 

 rings and halfmoons proximally to a row of dark submarginal spots. On the underside of the hindwing the 

 yellow colour is wanting at the base and abdominal margin. West China: Mupin, Wa-shan, Chia-ting-fu. 

 Central China with the preceding. According to Walker the larva is slug-like, smooth, green, armed on the 

 head with two branched horns. 



7. Genits: Dicliorragia BUr. 



Strongly built butllerflies. Head large; eyes naked; palpi porrect, not projecting above tlie head; an- 

 tennae strong," about ^s the length of the forewing, clubbed at the end. Forewing a right-angled triangle, the 



*) Apart from tautonomy (literal identity of the generic and specific names) not being a sufficient reason for rejecting 

 one of the two tautonomic names, the respective name (a synonym) is diaiioras. Identical with the same is the name of a genus 

 of Orthoptera: Diagoras Sial. There is therefore no objection to using the generic term Diayora Snellen. 



