Mimicry in certain Butterflies of New Guinea. 121 



a possible reduction in the number of species, what is really 

 required in the five forms associated in the " Revision " 

 is an increase in the number <>!' genera. The first two forms 

 of the five, viz. euryxaniha and abnormis, belong, as we have 

 seen, to Huphina; but ladas and ornytion are certainly 

 members of the genus Delias. With regard to the fifth 

 species, viz. dohertyi, there is a fresh complication. A 

 Pieris dohertyi from Jobi and a Delias dohertyi from Timor 

 were both described in 1891, the former by' M. Oberthiir, 

 the latter by Lord Rothschild. Oberthiir's description 

 having been published in August, and Rothschild's in 

 September, it would seem that the former has priority. I 

 have never seen Oberthiir's type, but from the description 

 and figure I have no doubt that it is a Delias. Rothschild's 

 dohertyi is certainly a Delias, and quite distinct from 

 Oberthiir's. In his Revision of the genus Delias* 

 Mr. Butler refers under D. dohertyi to Rothschild's descrip- 

 tion above mentioned, and also to Grose Smith and Kirby's 

 figures in " Rhopal. Exot.," ii. Delias, PI. IV (not PI. VI, 

 as Butler), figs. 7. 8, -which represent Rothschild's type. 

 He adds, " It is a curious thing that in the same year when 

 the above was described M. Oberthiir described a Pieris 

 Dohertyi from New Guinea. The latter, however, appears 

 to me to be allied to P. omul ion of Godman and Salvia, 

 in Avhich case it is not a Delias (although P. ornytion has 

 erroneously been referred to this genus by von Mitis)." 

 But, as we have seen, ornytion is a Delias, and if Mr. Butler 

 is right, as I believe he is, in thinking that Oberthiir's 

 dohertyi is allied to ornytion (of which species it seems to 

 be the representative in the Island of Jobi), we have two 

 dohertyi in the same genus. Oberthiir's being apparently 

 the one that is entitled to stand; unless indeed Oberthiir's 

 dohertyi should turn out to be a mere synonym of ornytion ; 

 in which case I presume that Rothschild's would stand as 

 the true dohertyi. This, however, is a question that I would 

 fain leave in the hands of experts in nomenclature. 



Turning now to Fruhstorfer's treatment of these forms, 

 we find that he ends his account of Huphina with the same 

 five species as those to which Butler called attention in the 

 passage above quoted, adding to them " perse 'phone, 

 Staud, ( = odyssia, Frust. i. /.)." f His notice of this 



* Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 6th Series, vol. xx, p. 153 (1897). 

 f Seitz, "Macrolepidoptera, " (Indo-Au.stra.lian Region), Engl. 

 Ed, p. 147. 6 K 8 



