of the Species of the Genus Pachyrhynchus. 327 



togetlier in the same bottle. There was not one of the metallic 

 varieties of P. orbifer, for instance, found in a bottle which con- 

 tained many hundreds of specimens having dull scales, and from 

 which the detailed description is drawn up. Again, the specimens 

 of P. chloroUneatus with dull green markings were not mixed with 

 those with marks formed of metallic scales. Those varieties of 

 orhifer which approach so near to the P. 7)ionil/ferus were not 

 found mixed up with the hundreds of specimens of that species 

 brought home by Mr. Cuming. I recollect, moreover, perfectly 

 noticing that the varieties of P. orbifer having narrow metallic 

 bands were not in the same bottle as those in which the elytra are 

 covered with metallic scales, with the exception of seven circular 

 areas, — in fact, var. a. 



On the whole I incline to the belief that P. chlorolineatus, 

 P. moniUferus, and P. orbifer, and the intermediate varieties 

 noticed, are distinct races of the same species — varieties produced 

 by some local causes : and this opinion was strengthened by my 

 finding somewhat analogous cases in some other species. After 

 mounting, out of various bottles, a number of specimens of the 

 Agestrata Luzonica (Esch.), all of which were nearly of the same 

 size, I was struck with finding a number of specimens (in a 

 bottle by themselves) which were half as large again as those I 

 had previously pinned. Of the Pyrgops inops (Scho.), I found 

 all the specimens in one bottle destitute of any metallic markings, 

 whilst those in another were richly ornamented with golden 

 scales forming spots and bands. 



