NEPTIS. By Jf. Stichel. 179 



but slightly luucliing liie discal .si)ols; suLiiiargiiial spois ui ilie liiiuuviiig vestigial only. Tlie underside niarktd 

 like the upper, the markings pah^ yellow, on the i'orevvingsonie violet costal spots in a brown area, hindwing with 

 light-coloured median band, upon which follow a reddish brown area with pale lines and a bluish submarginal 

 band. — With the yellow-spotted main form, which varies in size, flies a variety with pure white markings 

 (Ust-Strielka), wliicli may be named f. deliquata form. nov. GrAser beat the larva from Qucrcus mongolica, deliquata. 

 J)ut it appears to be polyphagous. Amurhind (Bureja, Ussuri), Askold, Corea. — In Cliina the species is also 

 represented by two similar forms, dilution O^pr^/j. (54e) with enlarged, bright yellow spots on the upperside and dilutior. 

 very light distal marginal area on the underside, at Tse-kou, and obscurior 0/>p/-//(. (54f) with darkened under- obscurkv. 

 side, all the brown parts more deeply coloured, the median band of the hindwing somewhat reddish except 

 the whitish anterior portion, Siaolou. According to OberthCr thisbe in typical specimens and transitions 

 also ni(>s witli those forms. 



N. themis Leech (54f) differs from the preceding species in the median liand on tlie hindwing themis. 

 beneath being anteriorly abbreviated and in the 2 — 3 violet spots standing in the prolongation of the band 

 being absent; on the other hand, there is on the forewing below a large light spot near the distal margin 

 between the radials.*) The distribution-area of this form according to (JsERTHttR extends from West Cliina 

 (Siaolou) to Sikkim, where it is replaced by the nomenclatorially typical form, IS. nycteus Nicev., which has 

 white instead of yellow spots. — A closely allied form from Tsekou is ih^oAoTdiOberth. (54f), in which the brown theodora. 

 patches on the imdei-side are essentially larger and of a deep reddish brown colour, the violet markings are paler. 

 In tiie $ the markings are rather whitish than yellow, the darkened ground contrasts very strongly with the 

 light spots. — thetis Leech (54f) is somewhat smaller than themis, but liardly different from it except in the whitish thetis. 

 costal streak at the base of the hindwing beneath being partly obsolete, forming an isolated spot in the centre 

 of the costal area. Even this character, however, may be individual. The light submarginal band also is indi- 

 stinct and the brown patches are less numerous. Siaolou, Tsekou, Lutsekiang. According to Leech there 

 occur specimens with lighter, almost white, spots on the upperside, which also points to a close affinity with 

 nycteus. 



N. yunnana Oberth. (55a) is extremely similar to the previous forms, smaller, the position of the markings yimnana. 

 as in thisbe, their colour bright yellow-ochre, the median band of the hindwing comparatively broad, canary- 

 yellow beneath, as are also the spots of the forewing. Before the band of the hindwing a reddish brown area 

 in which are situated several purplish spots; costal margin ochreous yellow at the base, the distal margin 

 brownish, traversed by reddish brown curved lines. Tsekou. — In nemorum Oberth. (55a), which is most pro- iwmonim. 

 bably only a variety of the preceding, the median band of the hindwing remains narrower, the bluish spots 

 in the costal area of the forewing beneath are enlarged (confluent), and beyond the yellow median band within 

 the red-brown band contiguous with the same there is a bluish line, which in yunnana is indicated only in front 

 and behind; otherwise the distal marginal area remains uniformly ochreous yellow. — With this form occurs a 

 similar one, sylvarum Oberth., the ground-colour of which is darker beneath; on the underside there are no bluish sylvanim. 

 costal spots before the anterior part of the median band of the hindwing, and the ochreous yellow marginal 

 area is broader, while the russet brown area behind the band is narrower and bears — as in nemorum — a 

 violet-grey line; the latter, however, has a feeble silvery tint. Tsekou. The upperside is the same in all 

 three forms. 



N. antigone Leech ( ? = beroe Leech) (55a) is above recognizable by the prolonged cell-streak, which i: antigone. 

 broadly joined to the discal spots; the markings otherwise as in the preceding forms, but the submarginal band 

 of the hindwing is pure yellow ochre and consists of a curved row of broad lunules, which are indented on their 

 convex side. Markings of underside somewhat diffuse, on the hindwing the median band anteriorly curved 

 in hook-shape towards the base, in the dull russet-red to ochreous brown marginal area a bluish line and several 

 rows of whitish arcs or lunules. Only one $ known; Central China: Ichang. — beroe Leech (55b) is extremely beroe. 

 similar to the preceding, being apparently specifically identical with it and at the most an accessory form oi 

 the same. <? somewhat smaller, the markings of the upperside not essentially different; on the underside the 

 median band of tlie hindwing broader, yellowish, anteriorly less strongly curved, beyond it instead of the 

 bluish line a red brown stripe parallel with the margin, in the dull ochreous yellow marginal area a narrow 



*) Contrary to pustomary treatment JV. themis and thi.<!he are here dealt with as different species. In this I follow 

 Ch. OberthCr's opinion (Etudes de Lepidoiiterol. Comjiaree If), althougli the differences do not apjiear to be quite sufficient 

 for .specific separation. There can hardly be any doubt that the classification of the species of Meptis, especially of the thetis- 

 group, will be modified in many resjiects as our knowledge of the geographical distribution and seasonal variation increases. 

 At present one has to be content with a grouping which is the more probably correct classification according to one's 

 personal opinion. As not weighty enough I must regard the characters of a number of species described by OberthCr in the 

 place cited ; particularly the separation of thishe from themis and the sjaecific value attributed to some forms of the thestias- 

 seiies does not seem to be tenable. — Stichel. 



