revision of the genus Argynnis. 563 



median veins, as well as the submedian vein, thickened 

 in the males, but only on the first median are they 

 much raised. 



A . pandora 2LXid. A . kamala are species which require 

 little notice, as neither of them vary appreciably. In 

 both of them the first and second median veins seem 

 dilated in the male. 



A. childreni is the largest and most beautiful of all 

 the Old World species. It extends from the North-west 

 Himalayas as far east as Ichang, in Central China, and 

 varies but little, specimens from the North-west Himalaya 

 being somewhat smaller, paler, and the females greener 

 in tint than those from the Eastern Himala^^a, Khasia 

 Hills, and China. It is found from 7 to 10,000 ft. in the 

 North-west, but in the Khasias 4 to 6000 ft. is its zone 

 of elevation. I have taken it on grassy places near 

 woods, but not in forest-country. It has the first and 

 second median veins in the male heavily scaled. 



A, sagana is quite peculiar, on account of the remark- 

 able difference between the two sexes, which lead to the 

 female being first described under another name. It 

 seems, however, to have close affinity with the last group, 

 the first median vein being clothed in the same manner ; 

 while in some specimens the second and also the sub- 

 median seem thickened to a less extent. The species does 

 not vary appreciably, as far as I have seen. 



A. niplie is the only one of the whole genus, except 

 hanningtoni, which has a tropical habitat. It also has 

 the female very dissimilar to the male, and a style of 

 marking below, not seen in any other Argynnis. But I 

 can see no good reason for separating it generically, 

 unless several other groups are also separated. The 

 form found in Australia may be separated by its smaller 

 size, duller colour, and the absence of the white bar in 

 the female ; it has been named inconstans by Butler. 

 The Javan form resembles it in the male sex, but the 

 female has the white band, and I have not seen speci- 

 mens from any other of the Malay Islands. 



The Argynnides of North America are, without excep- 

 tion, the most difficult butterflies to classify that I 

 have ever studied. I have a collection which includes 

 authentically named specimens of almost all the species 

 and varieties, many of them direct from such well-known 

 collectors as Messrs. H. Edwards and Morrison ; many 



