URANIA RHIPHEUS. 



Plate XXIII. fig. 1, 2. 



Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Crepiisculavia ? Family: UraniidiE. 



Genus. Urania, Fabr. (Syst. Gloss.) Latr. Cyrtimon, Dulm. (Prodr. Mon. Castnise.) Leilus & Rhipheus, 



Sicainson Zool. Illustr. 

 Urania Rhipheus. Alis iiigris, anticis utrinque lineolis transversis fasci^que medi^ bifidS, aureo viridibus, 



posticis area anali cuprea violaceo micanti nigroque maculata. (Expans. Alar. 4 unc. 9 lin.) 

 Syn. Papilio (Eq.Troj.) Rhipheus, Drury, App. vol. 2. Esper. Pap. Exot. t. 21./. 1. 2. 



Rhipheus dasyeephalus, Swabison Zool. Illust. N. Ser.pl. 131. 

 Habitat: CXvma (Dninj). Bengal f Cramer J. Coromandel CFafrTTciiiSJ. Madagascar f£nc. ilsT^^A,.^. 



Upper Side, "The antennae are black, and knobbed at their extremities." Eyes dark brown. 

 Thorax and abdomen black. The ground of the anterior wings is a lovely deep green, mai-ked or 

 striped all over with irregular streaks of a deep black, almost all of which run in a direction from the 

 anterior to the posterior edges. Posterior wings, next the body, black ; but towards the anterior edges 

 are of a fine light blue green, clouded with black. The other parts, next the abdominal and external 

 edges, are of a curious, deep, blood-red, shining with gold, and spotted with black. 



Under Side. Palpi grey. Breast and abdomen ash-coloured. Wings light sea-green, clouded or 

 marked as on the upper side with black. Posterior wings, next the body, of a most brilliant golden 

 green, with small spots of black, which green softens into a fine purple, from that into a crimson, then 

 into a blood-red, and lastly to an orange ; which colours occupy the greater part of these wings : that 

 part which lies next the upper corners being of a fine blue green, clouded with black ; all the colours on 

 this side have a rich glow of gold, and appear changeable, according to the position in which the light 

 strikes on them ; from the abdominal corner runs a narrow black border along the external edge, the 

 width of three membranes, stopping at the angle, and communicating with a large black spot situated 

 near the abdominal edge. " The whole exhibiting the most beautiful colours I ever saw united in one 

 insect." 



The splendid insect, from which these figures were taken, has been considered by 

 most Lepidopterists to have been in a mutilated and mended state; having the head, 

 concealed palpi, and clavate antennae of a true Papilio, and the posterior wings nearly 

 truncated at the lower part. These authors have supposed that the insect was a specimen 

 of the Papilio Rhipheus of Cramer (pi. 385. fig. A. B. Leilus orientalis, JSwainson Zool. 

 Illustr. N. Ser. pi. 130.), in which the head and antennae are similar to those of Nyctalemon 

 Orontes, figured in the first volume of this work, and the posterior wings are termi- 

 nated by three tails. Mr. Swainson has however adopted a different opinion, figuring 

 Drury's insect under the name of Rhipheus Dasyeephalus, and Cramer's under that of 

 Leilus Orientalis ; considering that this view of the subject " will clear up one of the 

 most intricate and perplexing questions that has hitherto impeded the natural arrangement 

 of the Linnaean Papiliones and even the entire Lepidoptera." Drury's insect exhibiting 

 the nervures of Urania, and the head, &c. of Papilio, is thus considered as establishing 

 as close an affinity as can possibly be imagined between Papilio and Leilus (i. e. the 

 Rhipheus of Cramer). It is true that there are many Lepidopterous insects which, on a 



