20 Mr. H. J. Elwes' additional notes 



C. Hyale, L. 

 C. Erate, Esp., t. 119, fig. 3. 



I am quite unable to say how these two species can be 

 in all cases distinguished from each other, and, though 

 pages might be written on the subject of their varieties, 

 yet I doubt whether anything certain could be made out 

 except by breeding on a large scale and in different parts 

 of the world. 



What we do know is this, that in Europe, ranging from 

 Belgium and England in the west, to Russia in the east, 

 and to Andalusia, Sicily, and Algeria in the south, the 

 species which we know as Hyale occurs. Typically, and, 

 in fact, with rare exceptions, the males are of a deeper 

 yellow than the females, and both sexes have the black 

 band on the fore wing marked with blotches of the same 

 colour as the rest of the wing. In the collection of Herr 

 Miitzell, of Berlin, I have seen (and doubtless they may 

 be found in other collections) specimens of Hyale from 

 the South Tyrol, and also from Berlin, which are of the 

 same, or almost the same, colour in both sexes, and, as 

 I noted at the time, agree well with the Himalayan 

 specimens. These, I may say, have been selected during 

 a long life from thousands which have come under Herr 

 Miitzell's eyes, and, as regards the sexes, I rely on his 

 assurance, not having been able to verify them myself 

 in the short time at my disposal. 



In the South of Russia, at Sarepta, on the Volga, 

 Hyale seems to mix with what is known as Erate, 

 which differs from Hyale in the sexes being of the same 

 tint of yellow, slightly deeper than the yellow of Hyale 

 male ; but male specimens of Erate occur at Sarepta 

 which have the spots on the fore wing as in Hyale. 

 Pale-coloured females also occur (ab. pallida, Stgr.) 

 which do not differ from female Hyale, excej)t that the 

 black border of the fore wing is sometimes more pro- 

 duced towards the hind margin. 



At Sarepta are also found forms (? hybrids or varieties) 

 of Hyale {Sareptensis, Stgr.), which he characterises thus 

 in his Catalogue of 1877, " Al. ant. marg. post, lato, 

 nigro ; $■ satur, flavus." 



As to the comparative abundance of these two forms 

 at Sarepta I cannot speak positively, but it seems evident 

 that they here begin to mix. 



