25 



The Papilionid^ of South Australia. 



Bj J. G. O. Tepper, E.L.S., London ; Memb. Bot. Verein, 

 Brandenburg ; Corr. Memb. 



[Read April 5, 1881:] 

 Plates n. and III. 



In a paper entitled " Insects of South Australia," published 

 in the Transactions of the Eoyal Society for 1878-9, thirteen 

 genera of Papilionida> (including Synemon) Avith twenty- six 

 species were mentioned as then known to me. Since then four 

 species of HesperiUa have been added, presenting a total of only 

 thirty for so large and varied an area as the Counties of Ade- 

 laide, Sturt, Barossa, Light, and Ferguson present ; though it is 

 not assumed that there may not exist others in such parts as the 

 author has not visited. Coloured figures of specimens, mostly 

 in my possession (or were so) have been "submitted to the 

 Hon. W. McLeay, Sydney, who identified the majority as 

 previously described, but was not certain whether the others 

 were new or not. 



The object of this paper is to present as complete a list as 

 I can of the family, with short notes and short descriptions of 

 those deemed new. 



The scarcity of Papilionidse in respect of number of genera 

 and species over so large an area is very striking. The causes 

 are principally two : — The great dryness generally during their 

 season of flight, with occasional severe droughts, by means 

 of which their reproduction is much interfered by; and, 

 destructive bush-fires, which destroy them and their food-plants 

 wholesale over square miles of waste land. 



The sombreness of their general coloration is also as 

 remarkable. Brick-red, various shades of brown, white, and 

 black are the most frequently occurring tints among the 

 larger species ; yellow (except in one species) and orange 

 appear in patches ; blue only in small dots (except in Lycae- 

 nidae). The cause for this seems to be that this particular 

 coloration, agreeing with the prevailing tints of their sur- 

 roundings, affords the insects efficient protection. Thus brick- 

 red and brown tints prevail in those species principally that 

 habitually fly near the ground composed of red clays, &c.t 



