118 NEW ZEALAND MACRO-LEPIDOPTERA. 



This butterfly is essentially a forest-loving species, and may sometimes be taken 

 quite plentifully in sunny openings on fine days, during December and January. It 

 is not nearly so common as C. salustius, and I do not think that there is more 

 than a single brood in a season. 



CHEYSOPHANUS BOLDENAEUM, White. 

 (Lycana boldenarum, White, Proc. Ent. Soc., Ser. 3, 1, p. 26 (1862). Chrysaphanus boldenarum, Butl., 



Zool. Erebus and Terror, Ins. Lep., p. 29, n. 8, pi. 8, figs. 8, 9 (1874). 

 (Plate XII., figs. 13, 14, $ varieties, 15 under side of $ , 16 ? , 17 under side of ? .) 



This brilliant little butterfly is very common in most localities in the South Island. 

 In the North Island it has occurred at Lakes Wairarapa and Taupo. 



The expansion of the wings is $ inch. On the upper side the male has all the wings brown, 

 tinged with the most brilliant glistening purple. The fore-wings have two or three black spots near 

 the middle, a curved series beyond the middle, and on the termen. The hind-wings have two black 

 spots near the middle, a series beyond the middle, and a terminal series, generally with blue centres. 

 All the wings are narrowly bordered with black. The female is pale yellowish-brown, the spots 

 resemble those of the male, except that all the marginal series have bright purple or blue centres. 

 On the under side the fore-wings of both sexes are pale yellow, bordered with slaty-blue : the spots 

 are the same as on the upper side. The hind-wings are brownish-grey in^male, slaty-grey in female, 

 with the basal portion darker, and the spots of the upper side always indicated. 



This insect is extremely variable, but I do not think it likely that any of the 

 numerous forms will prove sufficiently constant to be regarded as distinct species. 

 The male varies in the size and number of the black spots, many of which are often 

 absent ; in the extent of the purple sheen which is sometimes absent from the hind- 

 wings, sometimes partially absent from the fore-wings, and sometimes extends over 

 the whole of both pairs of wings ; also in the colour of such sheen, which often inclines 

 towards blue. Some specimens are much paler than others, and so far as my experience 

 goes, these are chiefly found at considerable elevations ; in such specimens, the ground 

 colouring inclines towards yellow or orange, and the purple sheen is very brilliant, and 

 extends over the whole of the wings. The female of this form is proportionately paler. 

 Other specimens have the hind-wings almost black with no purple sheen, whilst in 

 others the purple sheen remains. Another form has the usual markings, but the hind- 

 wings are deep orange-brown, without purple sheen, which is also absent from the outer 

 portions of the fore-wings. One female in my collection is dull brown, with yellow 

 markings between the two rows of black spots. The under side is still more variable. 

 One very striking form has only the basal portions of the fore-wings yellow, the rest 

 of the ground colour is pale bluish-grey, and the spots black. On the hind-wings there 

 are a number of black spots near the base ; then an irregular band of black, and then 

 a double row of marginal spots. An almost unlimited number of varieties appears to 

 connect this form with one, in which all the markings on the hind-wings are nearly 

 obsolete. The specimens of this insect taken in each district appear to exhibit differences 

 from those taken elsewhere, but specimens also differ from the same district, so that 

 at present we are unable to detect any well-marked local variation, or topomorphism, 

 as it has been termed. It is consequently highly desirable that collectors should 

 endeavour to obtain specimens from as many localities as possible, so that the nature 

 of the variation of this butterfly may be better understood. 



Mr. Fereday states that after carefully examining a patch of Donatia novce- 



' ' Trans. N. Z. Inst.,' vol. x. 259. 



