TRIFID.-E. 311 



Underside of the fore wings smoky gTeenish-black, paler 

 toward the dorsal margin and in the hind marginal region, 

 where it is dusted with white and black ; in the reniform 

 stigma is a deep black streak ; this is followed by a cloudy- 

 black transverse line ; hind wings greyish-white, dusted all 

 over with black ; central spot large, distinct, black ; beyond 

 it is a faint transverse line of black atoms ; hind margin 

 edged with black lunules and streaks ; cilia dirty grey, con- 

 taining black lines. Body and leg tufts pale brownish-grey, 

 with a purple Hush ; legs green-grey, barred with black. 



Exceedingly variable ; hence its name. This is mainly in 

 the ground colour and the extent of dark markings, and seems 

 to be found almost equally wherever the species exists. The 

 green ground is usually either of a rather dark green or some 

 shade between this and greenish-white or pale reddish-green ; 

 but also more rarely reddish-white, or white clouded with 

 light red or purplish-pink ; the black marbling also varies 

 greatly in intensity and extent, in some specimens presenting 

 delicate pale markings, grey rather than black ; in others 

 close and abundant, yet definite marbling, in some cases with 

 the stigmata and pale spots much obscured, in others with 

 all these very strongly defined ; others again have strong and 

 heavy blotching of the darker surfaces, either dark brown or 

 black, with stigmata and central blotches white or tinged 

 with pink or light red. One specimen before me is greenish- 

 white, with the faintest possible marblings, merely a black 

 loop with some purplish-pink round it in the middle of the 

 wing, and some black dots along the costa ; another has the 

 dorsal margin, apex, stigmata and usual round blotches 

 white, the rest of the wings marbled with red and deep 

 black ; a third, even blacker, has all the pale markings light 

 purplish-pink ; and a fourth is dark green, with but faint 

 indications of paler spots. Dr. Mason has a specimen of a 

 clear pale green, with an irregular light red shade through 

 the middle, and branching to the anal angle, with only a few 

 dark dots and streaks. These are perhaps the more extreme 



