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A ^EW SPECIES OF PAPILIO, AND A NEW FORM OF 

 PARNASSIUS DELPHIUS, FROM WESTERN CHINA. 



By J. H. Leech, B.A., F.E.S., &c. 

 Papilio dialis, sp. nov. 



Male. Closely resembles P. Manor, but there is no patcli of silky hairs 

 between the first median nervule and the submediannervure, and the patches 

 on the veins are composed of shorter hairs. The primaries are :black, 

 sprinkled with bronzy-green scales, except on the venation and broad rays 

 between the uervules. Secondaries black, thickly powdered with greenish 

 scales, those on the costal half and on the tails being bluish, and those on 

 other portions of the wing bronzy ; there is a broad annular mark at anal 

 angle, a luuule in first median interspace, and another in discoidal interspace 

 — all these marks are red dashed with lilacine on their upper edges. Under 

 surface of primaries pale grey, merging into white on the outer two-thirds 

 of inner marginal area ; all the nervules and streaks between them are 

 broadly black, and there are four nerve-like black streaks in the discoidal 

 cell : secondaries velvety-black, sprinkled on the basal and abdominal areas 

 and on the tails with metallic green scales ; there is a series of seven red 

 irregular-shaped lunules on the outer margin, the sixth is united with the 

 seventh by a broad projection from the lower edge of the latter, and its upper 

 extemity almost unites with the lower end of the fifth lunule. Expanse, 

 130 millim. 



One example taken at Chia-ting-fu in July. 



This species is most readily distinguished from P. hianor, P. 

 maackii, &c., by the different arrangement of the silky patches 

 on the primaries of the male. 



Parnassius DELPHIUS var. ELWESi, var. nov. 



Male. Larger than any of the named forms of P. delphins, but in 

 some particulars it resembles var. trnnsians. It differs, however, from that 

 insect, as it also does from any variety of P. deljiliius that I have seen, in 

 having a red spot in the lower portion of the large black bar beyond the dis- 

 coidal cell of primaries, and a patch of black scales between the usual 

 discoidal spots ; there are only the faintest possible traces of a black spot 

 above the inner margin. On the secondaries the black basal area is deeply 

 indented on its outer edge, and the marginal border is of uniform width 

 throughout. Fringe white, chequered on the primaries with black at the 

 ends of the nervules. Under surface glassy, with all the markings of upper 

 sm-face faintly reproduced. Expanse, 80 millim. 



One example from the high plateau to the north of Ta- 

 chien-lu. 



Although I have referred this insect to P. dclphius, I recognise 

 the possibility of its proving to be a distinct species when a larger 

 number of specimens, including the female, are available for 

 examination. 



