THE ATHALIA GROUP OF THE GENUS MELIT^A. 55 



The second of these forms is the — 



var. helvetica, Eiihl, ' Societas Entomologica,' iii. p. 137 

 (1888), which he also describes in his ' Palaarktische Gross- 

 Schmetterhnge,' p. 405 (1892-1895). In the former work there 

 is a long Latin description which my respect for the author 

 compels me to refrain from giving in the original, so startling is 

 its construction, and which I will therefore, contrary to my usual 

 practice, translate as follows : — " Wings scarcely rounded, ful- 

 vous above, partially reticulated with fuscous, the hind wmgs 

 with the central band enlarged, in distinct streaks, and forming 

 five definitely separate streaks, of which the second and third 

 are longer than the first, fourth, and fifth. The hind wings 

 beneath yellowish, with the middle band silvery white. This 

 form is so far remarkable for a very noticeable mark in the 

 second basal cell of the hind wings beneath, a yellow oblong spot 

 bordered with black, alike in both wings." 



This form is remarkable for three things : the complete 

 absence of the extra line, up. s. h. w., in combination with a very 

 restricted basal suffusion, leaving a broad central band of the 

 ground colour, such as is usual in parthenie ; the silvery white 

 central band, un. s. h. w., in the male as well as the female ; and 

 the size, shape, and colour of the second spot of the basal band. 

 It appears to be a local form found at Bergiin and Stalla, in the 

 Grisons, in July. The upper side gives a remarkable facies, 

 which I have several times noticed in Rhone Valley specimens, 

 but without the peculiarities of the under side, though I have 

 also taken at Frenieres, above Bex, a very fresh male with 

 quite white terminal, central, and basal bands, the light spot also 

 being white ; this specimen, however, has a normal upper side. 



To this group of aberrant forms also belong three others, 

 viz. : — 



ab. samonica, Riesen, ' Stettin Entomologische Zeitung,' 

 1891, p. 357, which is described as having the upper side of 

 corythalia, but the under side normal. 



ab. virgata, Tutt, ' British Butterflies,' p. 305 (1896), which 

 " has the spots forming the central band of the fore and hind 

 wings lengthened, and these make a distinctly marked central 

 band." 



ab. obsoleta, Tutt, I.e., is thus noted : "Occasionally there 

 is a failure, or partial failure, of the dark transverse lines, the 

 wings becoming largely fulvous." 



We must also add the local Spanish form : — 



ab. iberica, Staudinger, ' Catalogue,' 3rd ed. p. 32 (1901), 

 which is thus shortly described : " Plerumque major, dilutior, 

 minus nigro picta." 



Coming now to the second group of aberrations in which the 

 fuscous predominates, the oldest named form which belongs with 

 certainty to this species (athalia) seems to be : — 



