570 AGRIAS. By H. Frtmistorfer. 



at the costal margin of the hindwings beginning at the precostal, and tlien swinging distally along as far as 

 to the middle of the costal, to which Staudingbk attached such great importance, exists constantly complete 

 in sardanapalus. but we find it in claudia itself and in clivudinnu^ both in the (J (J as well as in the $$ sometimes 

 in exactly the same development. It may, however, be also dissolved into two isolated maculae, like in a clau- 

 dia-^, while the ^^ possesses it yet as a complete arc. Clasping-organs with a somewhat broader valve than in 

 A. clmidia and chmdina; the club at the uncus more robust, with stronger spines. The range of .4. sardanajmlns 

 is much more limited than that of .4. clrvudin. since it is met only from the Upper Amazon to Bolivia. The 

 southern' forms are beneath modified entirely analogous to the Soutli Brazilian races. 



Bates says about the sardana-pnlus : 



,,Tiiis magnificent butterfly is one of the most vaiie^Hted of the wliole entomologii al world. I found it at different 

 places of the Upper Ajnazon, hut always only in sunny clearings of the primeval fortsis and in oppressively hot weather 

 between the wet and dry season. It flies similarly as the Pri'jiona and it is, therefore, quite impossible to capture it except 

 when it is sitting. The first, specimens I saw were baited by the sap exuding from a tree where a dense crowd of other 

 beautiful butterflies, such as Prepoiia, Paphia (Aiiaca). Sideri)na. (iynnerki and otheis were daily assembled. But the con- 

 tinual coming and going of the greedy animals made the wonderful Auriaf: extremely timid and wary, so that I could not 

 grasp it. When being met alone in the roads sitting on defilements, it was nuich easier to lapture, but only 3 or 1 tinus 

 during the long years I succeeded in meeting it in such a position." 



Dr. Hahnel \^Tites: 



,,By far more precious than the Panacfa flying in open spaces, appealed to us some few specimens of the large 

 xardanapuliift clad in purple and blue, which we captured at the bait in the forest and which is not exceeded in beauty ( ?) 

 by any other butterfly. For although some Indian Ornithoptera and the ]\Iorphids flying on the Amazon surpass It in 

 the development of single attributes, such as size and splendour of colours, they do not come up to its abundant and most 

 thoroughly accomplished markings of the under surface expressing the Nymphalid-type the most peifectly in sardanapalus. 

 But above all other excellencies it was adorned ))y the noble descent, belonging to a genus being in every way unble- 

 mished by vulgarity, the species of which are rarities to such an extent that none of the existing large collections is alile 

 to boast of possessing all of them in completion." 



snrdanapalus, clad in purple and blue, is fond of flying about very high between the sunny tops of trees and 

 it comes down only sometimes when scenting something that appears esjiecially piquant to it. On being chased 

 up, it has the same dashing flight of lightning-.speed as the Prepona, and nothing is seen but a sparkling of 

 red, violet and blue. The rare deep-blue siuarti shows quite different movements. It also flies rather swiftly, 

 but it has the same elegant, gliding flight as phalcidon and perides, exhibithig the most brilliantly the magnifi- 

 cent deep blue, surrounded by the grand primeval forest. But few have been granted the pleasure of enjoying 

 this charming sight, and even the collector is not very enthusiastic about it, unless he succeeds in obtaining 

 s.'ird-iiiaiia- the butterfly. — sardanapalus Bates (113 d) is characterized by the extensive transcellular red of the forewings 

 '"''• aiid the light sparkling blue occupying by far the greatest part of the hindwings, being otherwise black. 9? 

 are very rare and not yet described from the Amazon district. Hitherto known only from the Upper Ama- 

 zon. It is always rare, althougli the species occurs ail the year round near Sao Paulo and Pebas. 



,,Here in Alanicore, I had, in the beginning of Oitober. the chance of capturing my first- Afiria>i Riird(nta)iahis: 

 this capture I shall likewise never forget. On that day I was walking along my road as usually, when all of a suddt n 1 

 saw a wonderful butterfly sitting directly in front of me on a small heap of excrcjnents. But luifortunattly too late, for 

 1 could just get a glimpse yet of the magnificent red and blue of its upper surface, when it was already dashing off in 

 the swiftest flight. I noticed it, however, resting on a thick tree near by, though at a considerable height, with its head 

 downward, like the Prepona. Now I looked about for a suitable hiding-place and began to wait, since I was quite certain 

 that it would surely return to that delicacy. More than half an liour elapsed and I began to grow impatient. ISIow it 

 moved its wings, but remained yet for a minute, slowly opening its wings, in this position. Finally, apparently once more- 

 enticed by the scent, it flew off and after having fiist cautiously been ciicling round the said place for.some time, like an eagle, 

 it finally settled down on it. fluttering restlessly. Now I succeeded also in stalking it and capturing it by covering it 

 carefully with the net. That was the first specimen of this truly royal animal, and you may well imagine'my pleasure when, on 

 opening the wings, 1 saw the magnificently sparkling red and blue. In spite of all my efforts in baiting it, I succeeded 

 only 4 weeks hereafter in obtaining the second specimen, and in the next month only the third and last specimen. 



Sardanapalii.i seems to be one of the most widely spread species of Agrias, as 1 saw one specimen near Manaos on 

 the yonder bank of the Amazon River, and another on the Rio Negro, while I captured it in Alanicore, as well as in 

 Sao Paulo de Oliveiu^a and Iqiiitos, l)esides the species has lieeii found in th<" ('ordilleras." (Pr. IIahxei..) 



sara. sara Fruhst. has lost the blue reflection distal from the cell of the forewings, the red transcellular spot of the 

 forewings is very much decreasing, whereas the black distal margin gains the same extent as in .4. bolivianus 

 (113 c). The under surface, however, inclines to a brighter hue; the type in the Coll. OBERTHtJR has even a 

 liinnis. broad white median band of the hindwings. From Sarayacu and other places in Ecuador. — tugens Stgr. denotes 

 a geographical variety of Southern Peru which has occasionally come to us from Pozzuzo especially in the last 

 years. The type originates from the Chanchamayo. According to the 10 .specimens of my collection about 

 half of the specimens have no blue reflection at all beyond the intensely red area the others having a blackish- 

 darkened, partially indistinct steel-blue reflection. The blue disk of the hindwings is sometimes receding (= fa. 

 hades, hades Lathy at first reported from Northern Peru); and if it is absent altogether, we have the form decyanea 

 ilrryanea. jy^,;^^^ — ;Ys< lugjna Fffihst. the Bolivian race was denominated, because the name of bolivianus St(fr. (113 c) 

 ho/hiiiitiis. collides with .4. aniijilon holivienni!^ Frnhnt. lugina is in its size inferior to the Peruvian geogia2)lucal race, and 



