1921] MouLTON : Malaysian Butterflies. 171 



It is interesting to note that Criiger^ mentioned D. aglea 

 in a short description of Malacca butterflies as long ago as 

 1878. Distant^ threw doubt on the record, and apparently 

 the occurrence of aglea in the Malay Peninsula has re- 

 mained unconfirmed until now. 



Although de Niceville {I.e.) shows clearly enough that 

 grammica Boisd. (1836) must be restricted to the Ceylon 

 and South Indian form which Cramer described as aglea 

 in 1781 and with which it is therefore synonymous, never 

 theless Fruhstorfer ^ retains Boisduval's name for the North 

 Indian form. I follow Bingham,* Evans ^ and Godfrey * in 

 adopting melanoides Moore (1883) for this northern form. 



Subgenus Ravadeba, Moore. 

 The only species of this subgenus found in the 

 Malaysian subregion is distinguished at once from all other 

 Danaines by the canary-yellow discal region of the hind 

 wing. 



18. Danaida aspasia Fab. aspasia Fab. 



Danaida aspasia aspasia Fruhstorfer 1909, p. 205, flg. 76d. 

 Dnnaida aspasia var. crorea Distant 1882, p. 13, Tab. I, flg. 7. 



A common species found throughout the Malay Penin- 

 sula, ranging from low country to the mountains up to 

 3,()()() ft., and probably higher. Apparently on the wing all 

 the year round. 



The typical form also occurs in Tenasserim, Siam, 

 Sumatra' and Palawan. Other subspecies are recognized, 

 all occurring in the Malaysian subregion : — 



D. a. Philomela Zink. .lava. 



D. a. rita Fruhst. liawean I. 



D. a. chnjsea Dob. Kngano I. 



D. a. caiilonia Fruhst. Pulau Tello, Batu Is. 



D. a. kheili Staudg. Xias I. 



D. a. shelfordi Fruhst. Borneo. 



Piepers and Snellen regard the Javan form as aspasia. 

 It is, as recognized by Fruhstorfer, quite distinct from the 

 Malay Peninsula aspasia and must be known as philomela. 

 The males have the three large post-cellular patches yellow, 

 while in aspasia they are hyaline, the lowest and largest 

 patcli alone being tinged with yellow. This seems to be 

 a constant feature of distinction in the males. In the female 

 philomela the post-cellular sub-apical wJiite streaks are 

 much shorter and broader than in female aspasia. 



Tlie Bornean subspecies shelfordi is also well-marked 

 and distinct. 



' Cruger, 1878, p. 29. ~~ ~ 



•Distant, 1882, p. 13. 

 'Fruhstorfer, 1909, p. 208. 



* Bingham, 1905, p. 19. 

 ° Evans, 1912, p. 560. 

 "Godfrey, 1916, p. 118. 



• Fruhstort'cr's .sul).species tburiialiu lor Wesiern Sumatra is 

 not recognized by Rothschild (1920). 



