Butterflies of Mauritius and Bourbon. 437 
the twig from which it is suspended, and becomes attached 
to it by I presume some glutinous material. The usual 
plan, however, is for it to assume this position immediately 
after its release from the larval skin. 
Antanartia mauritiana, Manders, s. sp. n. (Pl. X XIX, fig. 2). 
11. Pyrameis Hippomene, Boisd. 
With the exception of Salamis augustina, quite the 
rarest butterfly in Mauritius and verging on extinction. 
It is probably a local race of the continental A. hippomene, 
Hiibn., but is quite distinct from that insect. It 1s, how- 
ever, very close to A. borbonica, Oberth., which is also a 
well-marked race of A. hippomene. The distinctions 
between the Mauritian and Bourbon races, though slight, 
are sufficiently defined to justify a separation of the 
insects. The difference, as M. Charles Oberthiir has 
remarked to me, is more in the general facies than in any 
marked character, A borbonica being a larger and far more 
robust-looking butterfly than A. mauritiana, 
Expanse 47 inm., average of 20 specimens (A. borbonica 55 mm., 
average of 4 specimens), the females rather larger than the males. 
Forewing.—The tranverse orange band on its inner edge is outwardly 
angled or waved at the median nervure forming the lower portion of 
the cell. In A. borbonica this is always straight. The outer edge 
of the band is also more distinctly angled or waved at the same place 
than is A. borbonica. Hindwing. There is a great diminution, 
generally an almost total absence, of the blue scales between the 
angle and the tail ; this deficiency is particularly noticeable below 
the ocellus. Hindwing under side. The green scaling between the 
anal angle and the tail and below the ocellus is confined to a narrow 
marginal line. In A. jborbonica this area of the wing is thickly 
sprinkled with green scales on a black ground, and these scales also 
cover the adjoining portion of the space beyond this. 
The difference in size, and more particularly the greater 
robustness of the Bourbon insect, is, I believe, primarily 
due to climatic conditions. A. borbonica is never found 
below 2,000 feet. A. mauritiana maintains a precarious 
existence at 1,800 feet, there being very little of the island 
of this elevation and only a few hills rising above 2,000 
feet. The climate is not favourable to the development of 
the butterfly, and what is probably more important, is too 
