Bibliotheca sphragidologica 133 



male, and was visible for a mom ent or two, when it gra- 

 dually withdrew into the abdomen of the male and dis- 

 appeared. On separating, a large drop of green fluid came 

 from each of the pair. This dries and leaves a stain on 

 paper. The membranous covering yielded to the motion 

 of the organ, yet enveloping it closely, and had a laminated 

 or folded appearance. The green fluid, when I separated 

 the pair, prevented my seeing very distinctly the true 

 State of things, and by the time I had turned to the 

 table and taken a piece of blotting-paper, the whole, pouch 

 and organ, had disappeared, The fluid, I believe — was 

 merely a lubricating secretion. I think the retractil organ 

 is connected with the clasping apparatus. It seemed to 

 me that something was abnormal about the protracted 

 coitus in this case, and that the pair were unable to separate 

 voluntarily. I have thought it possible that the reason 

 for the existence of these pouches in Parnassius is found 

 Zweck in the fact that they are additional safeguards for pre- 

 venting premature Separation by the violent storms so 

 prevalent in the regions where these insects live." 

 Mr. Wright at Maiden says: „The pouch is positively 



Jungfrau- absent in the virgin females. I have watched several cases 



liehe ? Qf voluntary copulation and find that the pouch begins 



to be visible soon after connection as a web of exceeding 



Ent- thinness. Later on it thickens and enlarges, becoming like 



stehung d.^-^gg^g paper by the time copulation ends; then gradually 

 P ^^^^ and in course of an hour or two, it becomes like a shaving 

 Farbe of hörn, and finaJly brown or black and rigid." 



idem p. 1868—1872, I. Vol. „Mr. B. Mead brought 

 me a female Parnassius with an egg adhering to the 



Ovipositor ovipositor and said that it had deposited several eggs 

 on a ,,tuft of grass". In der Nähe von Sedum fand er viele 

 Falter: ,,Accordingly, on searching, I found on same no- 

 merous eggs of Euptoieta Columbina, a species which 

 Eiablage swarms e very where on these hill sides". „The Parnassians 

 lay eggs freely. I have about 100 laid indiscriminately on 

 the box, or the cloth covering it, within I had enclosed 

 a female with the food-plant, Very few were on the plant 

 itself." ,,My eggs show no sign of hatching, but most 

 of them retain there normal contour. In regard to the 

 theory of the formation of the pouch, it was suggested 

 that the period of connection between the sexe= of these 

 Dauer d. butterflies must be very long. In that case I should have 



• Kopula found many pairs in coitu, whereas I have not so found 

 a Single pair." 



p. 43, Vol. III. Mr. Courtis 4 Juli: „A few days ago 

 I took a walk and saw hundreds of the Parnassians, and 

 caught ten or twelve, all males except one. Today I went 



5. Heft 



