216 MELITAEA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



uralensis. to Lederer also in the Altai. — In tlie form uralensis Ev. tlip marginal spots, instead of being lunate, are more 

 square, the submargiiial row of dots is double and the margin of the hindwing is deep black with a blue sheen; 



ihodopensis. in the Ural. — la rhodopensis Frr. (65g), which is similar, the ground-colour is much brighter and deeper 

 yellowish brown, the marginal markings being distinct and those in the central area somewhat reduced, the 

 markings in the basal area thin and less dark; the black lunate lines on the hindwing beneath partly broken 

 up into small bars and hooks; in May and June in Armenia and the Transalai, at a considerable altitude. 



evanescens. — In evanescens Stgr. (65f), from Persia and Mesopotamia to Central Asia, the black markings are entirely 

 fulminans. absent from the outer third of tlie u])])prside, apart from the marginal mai'kings. — In fulminans Stgr. the black 

 markings have quite'disappearod from the very brightly coloured upperside except some vestiges; from Persia 

 and Turkestan. — Nothing is known of the earlier stages. In iiabits, particularly in its flight, the butterfly 

 is said to resemble cinxia as well as tlie following species, aetherie, but does not appear to occur anywhere in 

 abundance like the former. 



aetherie. M. aetherie Hhn. {65f). This large insect has been separated from phoebe and lately been considered 



by all as a distinct species on the authority of certain authors; nevertheless there is in my opinion undenial)ly 

 a very close relationship betw-een them. The shape of the wings, however, is more as in arduinna; the forewing 

 broad, rounded at the apex, the distal margin feebly but evenly convex, the black markings at this margin 

 strong and distinct, the lunules at the 1. median A-eiu reaching farther discad than the others (difference from 

 arduinna), the black markings in the basal and central areas much thinner and sparser than in any form of 

 phoebe (distinction from the latter). The ground-colour on the hindwing beneath not so pale as in phoebe, 



algirica. but with a pronounced yellow tint; Andalusia. — The much more abundant form from Xoi'th Africa, algirica 

 RUM, is more fiery and its black markings, especially on the hindwing, are reduced, the ground-colour of tlie 



perlinii. 5, moreover, being paler; on detritus, where the ^^ fly up and down the dry beds of brooks. — perlinii Tur. 

 (65g) is smaller than the previous forms; the o very lu-ight brownish red, with thin and sparse black niarkirgs; 

 the 5 has the forewing and the anal half of the hindwing black, sparsely marked with ivory yellow, the costal 

 area of the hindwing being bright foxy red with black markings. The facies of the ?$ is almost exactly as in 

 did lima $-f. alpina or meridionalis; from Sicily. 



M. phoebe. The largest Melitaea of the Old World, at least certain of its forms. The forewing much more 

 pointed than in the previous species; equally variable in colour as well as the distinctness of the markings. 

 The black markings are usually united, in some cases even covering nearly the whole wings, but in other cases 

 may be strongly reduced. It is characteristic for this species that the reddish yellow submarginal lunate spot 

 situated between the two median veins reaches willi its vertex considerably farther into the disc than the other 

 yellow lunate spots. This is especially the case on the forewing, but also on the hindwing the submarginal 

 lunule between the 1. and 2. median veins projects farther basad than the others of the same row. In Central 

 and South Europe and North Africa, througliout nurlhcrn Asia lieyond the Chinese Sea to the east coast of 

 phoebe. Japan. — The nymotypical phoebe Knoch (= corythallia Esp.) (65g) varies itself in size as well as colour. Beside 

 uniformly dark specimens, like the o figured, there occur individuals in which both wings are traversed by 

 a light yellow band which contrasts strongly with the reddish brown ground-colour. Sometimes the black 

 colour of the basal area is dense, prominent and hardly interrupted by light spots, but reduced in the marginal 

 area (= ab. geijeri Aign.), or in other aberrational specimens concentrated in large patches in the middle of the 

 wing. On the whole the brightly variegated specimens occur more in the western and southern districts of the 

 distribution area, the uniformly coloured and generally also large races in the east. But it happens also that 

 a unicolorous form flies in the plains, while a brightly variegated one occurs in the neighbouring mountains. 

 The largest races are known from East Asia, the smallest from North Africa. But there occur also dwarfed 



occitanica. specimens in all other countries (= minor Frey, nana Stgr.). — occitanica Stgr. {66a) is the most western form, 

 particoloured, the light yellow median band contrasting with the red-brown ground. The submarginal band 

 is broad and bright red-yellow, so that there is a superficial similarity to aurinia iberica from the same country ; 

 but this form of phoebe shows distinctly the projecting lunule between the 1. and 2. median liranch, the hindwing 

 being also devoid of the black sulmiai-ginal dots which are always distinct on the hindwing of iberica; South 

 Spain. — In certain localities of the Central Alps, for instance at Zermatt, I met with a form in which light 

 and dark macular bands regularly alternate; the spots at the margin, those of the median band and some in 

 the cells are bright yellow, while the submarginal band and the bands across the apex of the cells are red- 



alternans. brown. This form therefore is very brightly variegated and I name it alternans subsp. nov. — In Algeria 



punka, flies a very small form, punica Oberth. (66a), which is evenly leather-yellow, the markings being close together 



tatara. and regular; only below the costa at the apex there are some small whitish spots. — In the form tatara Krulik., 



from Kasan, the black markings of the hindwing beneath are thicker and both wings bear a dark double line 



saturata. along the distal margin. — Whereas in tatara the ground-colour is more darkened above, it is of a pronounced 



tungana. bright and fiery tint in saturata Stgr., a large race from northern Central Asia. — tungana Bang-H. i. lift. (65b) 



