A(HirAS. By H. Friths'ioiikej!. 575 



spot extending somewhat lieyond tlie eell and gradually narrowing towards the distal margin without reaching 

 it and leaving a black space free at the anal angle. Before the apex tiiere are 3 large oblong, straw-coloured, 

 very distinct spots. Between these anfl the basal spot a delicate, dark blue reflection is noticeable, being seen 

 in some specimens also on the hindwings, beyond the scent -organs. Hindwing at the costal margin bordered 

 by pale yellow with fringes of the same colour. Under surface: On the forewings, the red commences only in 

 the cell and leaves a broad black stripe free at the posterior margin. Before the apex a broad, whitish-yellow 

 band beginning at the costal and extending in the shape of an arc towards the distal margin as far as close 

 to the first median. Before the rise of the third subcostal vein a narrow, small, yellow spot and two yellow 

 streaks in the middle of the upper and lower radials. The under surface of the hindwings resembles that of 

 amydon Heir., from which it is, however, easily distinguishable by the much lighter and broader yellow bands. 

 The blue-pupilled eye-spots are isolated — especially the upper ones — where they are flown together to a very 

 broad baird just in amydon; the eyespot-pupils of jerdirumdi aie also considerably larger than those of amydon. 

 The 5 is larger than the ^J, with more roundish wings, larger yellow subapical spots and without a trace of blue 

 reflection on the hindwings. But on the latter, at the base and in the cell, a slight red dusting is noticeable 

 whereby a connection with ^4. dimdia Schilz is established, with which species jerdinandi agrees also by the 

 shape and the appearance of the row of eye-spots on the under surface. An especially fresh und faultless ^ 

 is distinguished from the others by a deep dark-brown band encircling decoratively the red basal spot beyond 

 the cell, and resembles thereby the ,J^ of A. clmuJia {■sardanapaht-'^ olim), of which specimens are before me in 

 which the blue subapical band traverses almost the whole wing, while it is in some reduced to a small s]m)1 . 

 Head black with 4 white hair-tufts between the eyes. The brown eye-; stick in a white hairy ruffle. Palps oulside 

 yellow, inside black, body and abdomen Ijlack, in both sexes beneath white, cj above black, ?, however, jiartly 

 with red hair. Feet black, beneath A\ith yellow hair. Antennae black with a reddish-brown tip. Expansion 

 of the ,^,^ 59 — 69, of the $$ 80 mm, judged by 6 specimens discovered by Mr. H.\ej^sch in the Province of 

 Bahia across which he travelled on my advice, .4. ferdinandi flew there in woods of high trees where the 

 butterflies rarely left their airy domicile under the leaves on top of the high trees, in order to bustle about in 

 the ,,picades" as the Brazilians call their roads through the forests. They flew so vehemently past our observer 

 that their presence was just for one moment disclosed like a flash, only by the red glimmer of their wings. And 

 even when they were greedily drinking from an Aphrodisian bait, the least noise of a foot stepping foreward 

 carefully scared away the nimble animals. Except from Bahia, ferdinandi has come also from Minas Geraes 

 where Mr. IL^ensch found one $, and recently from Mato Grosso where ferdinandi flies beside .4. godmani. 

 In the British Museum there are specimens denoted ,, Colombia", jiresumably a wrong habitat. 



A. pericles forms a magnificent transition from .4. amydo)i to the group of A. heiritHonius (114 c) and 

 A. phalcidon { 114 d). The upper surface of ■pericles resembles yet certain races of amydon, but we already notice 

 a further decorative mark, consisting of green festoons of the upper surface, while on the under surface the 

 light yellow or greenish yellow filling or foundation of the hindwings disappears in order to be replaced 

 by a lighter or darker green according to the geographical situation of the habitat. We know three tenitorial 

 forms: pericles Heir, resembling above our figure of pericles .vantlnppns (114c as pericles). but the forewings jin-irlrs. 

 are, distally from the orange basal area, at first decorated with a sardanapaius-hhw band and then with an 

 emerald-green band. On the hindwings the blue advances further into the cell and the subanal green orna- 

 mentation is somewhat more pronounced. Very rare, discovered by Bates near Teffe (formerly called Ega), 

 where Dr, Hahnel did not find it anymore because the primeval forest had been in the meantime destroyefl 

 afar fiom the place. Hahnel, however, found some time later on, near Itaituba on the Rio Tapajos, a local 

 race xanthippus Stgr. (114 c as pericles) differing from the proper pericles by the lighter orange, magnificent xniifJiijipiis. 

 area of the forewings which is distally hardly bordered by l)lue and green. The $ of xanthippus is a little 

 largei- than the (^,^, with more rounded forewings, a more extensive yellow basal area and without any trace 

 of a blue decoration on the forewing. The hindwings are towards the base powdered with biownish as far as 

 to the apex of the cell. O. Michaei- writes about the discovery of ^4. xanthippus (Iris 1894 p. 202): 



.,Oiie day I saw a liutti-iri\ mikiiovvu to iiic, apparently of a vi How isli-liiuwuisli coloiir darling along in a swift, 

 (■l<>gaully floating flight: but wlaTc thr fico space grew narrower, it suddenly letuined and flew liaek again: after having 

 flown to and fro 4 or 5 times it finally settled on a leaf far from nie, in order to start flying onee more after a longer rist. 

 Xow I struck out desperately at it with my large Morpho-net and, to my great joy. I saw it jerking aljout in it. But alas! 

 The silk net was so firmly entangled in the aeanaceous twigs of a finely pinnated araiia-tree that it was entirely ijnpossilih- 

 to get loose. Without hesitation I let go the net and climbed up the shndi r stem; the little tree shook perilously to and 

 fro under my weight, but I recklessly i linilied up to that part from where 1 could disentangle the net. But I first killed 

 the butterfly which was darting furiously about- in the net, in which, however, i succeeded only after great efforts, .since 

 I was forced to hold fast with one hand in order not to fall down. Finally, after having ai-rived at the bottom again 

 with my lucky prey, I was somewhat disapiiointed on exaJiiining it. for ] had in my hands a damaged, rather unicolorons 

 butteifly: the' finely marked under surface s<'enied to suggest an interesting capture, l)ut 1 as yet did not attach so unuh 

 importance to it as to the magnificent Morplio Menelaus of a light blue gloss, which I most eagerly tried to capture. Hut 

 on delivering the butterfly at noon. 1 was surprised to see Dr. II.vhnki, who was i>therwis:e very qriiet . Iieing wild with 

 excitement. 



..Here you have, in my opinif)n. taken quite a new animal !' he finally said after having examined the specimen fiom 

 all sides. It indeed turned oiil later on to be a variety hitherto unknown of the nuignificent Pericles xunthipjjus Slyr. 



