154 Mr. W. J. Kaye's reply to 



America. In shape and size it is also quite different. 

 Sappho, like antiochus and one or two other Heliconines, 

 occurs with white bands at sea-level and low elevations, 

 while at higher elevation it becomes yellow-banded as in 

 primularis. But this change from white to yellow is 

 not universally true in passing from a low elevation to a 

 higher one. 



Of burneyi and wallacei Dr. Eltringham says, " Some of 

 the forms of burneyi are rather variable. Those of wallacei 

 exhibit a structure intermediate between the extremes of 

 those of burneyi." This really amounts to the fact that it 

 is impossible to separate these two by the genitalia. Apart 

 from the quite different fascies these two species have 

 different antennae. The whole of the long club on the 

 underside is orange in the different forms of burneyi, but 

 black in all the forms of wallacei. The antennae of burneyi 

 are also longer, having 40 joints against 37 in wallacei. 

 On the evidence that is to hand it is quite impossible to 

 regard these as the same species. They frequently occur 

 together in various localities, but never show any inter- 

 mediates, and in fact have very little in common except 

 the short red streaks on the underside of the hindwing. 



H. ethra and H. robigus are found to be alike and of a 

 distinctive type. These are quite likely the same. They 

 have a similar brand on the underside of the inner margin 

 of the forewing. Ethra is probably the more northern 

 race of robigus. It occurs with narcaea fiavomaculata at 

 Bahia, while robigus flies with typical narcaea at Bio and 

 southwards. By the additional evidence of the curious 

 brand to that of the genitalia it looks as if it was wrong to 

 in any way connect the two forms with silvana, which has 

 no such brand. 



In reviewing the classificatory results obtained by Mr. 

 Eltringham from microscopical examination of the geni- 

 talia, it appears evident that these organs are not wholly 

 renable in differentiating species, and that to base a 

 classificatory scheme on this one character alone would 

 give results, which in the light of further evidence as to 

 geographical range, etc., would be untrue. It would be 

 far safer to unite only those species of which we have 

 complete transitional series, when we could take as con- 

 firmation a wholly constant genitalia. It is very necessary 

 to be on one's guard, with a group where so comparatively 

 little variation is found in these organs, not to accept 



